Meant To Be
by TBCDreamer
Summary: The five teens try to figure out how (and if) they can fit into each other's lives after detention, and come up with a solution that suits all of them. And then the couples try to start relationships. With (slightly) new updates. Enjoy! P.S. Also, it goes without saying but I OWN NOTHING. Not the songs, or John Hughes characters.
1. The Weak Link

"_For All We Know,__We May Never Meet __Again_

_Before You Go __Make This Moment __Sweet Again"_

_-For All We Know, Ruben Studdard version_

Monday. Monday. _Monday._

That had been the word that was on the mind of all five teenagers towards the end of detention on that Saturday in March. They'd discussed it from a number of different angles (after having first spontaneously addressed it as Brian Johnson's question in terms of the harsh, cruel most realistic outcome). They'd thought about how each one of them would act in every scenario. And then… just as time was running out—just before Bender had to go back to the closet he was banished to, and just before detention was almost over—something had been said that seemed like the best (the only) positive and favorable solution they were going to come up with before they were out of time and left to wait out the rest of the weekend in total and complete suspense.

After they'd had a laugh about Allison's admission of how she landed in detention, the conversation had gotten serious again, although much less serious than it had been before. They'd talked about their parents some more, and discussed different ways that Monday could play out, other than the most obvious solution.

One thing was clear from the very beginning. They all knew it; but no one was coming right out and saying it, although Bender had gotten closest: Claire was the obvious weak link. She was the one everyone was most certain would let them down on Monday and pretend like nothing had ever happened between them. Allison had called Andy out on being weak and doing what other people told him to do, but it was obvious after his Larry Lester confession that he was practically disgusted with that fact about himself. With the weight of saying out loud what he'd done lifted off his shoulders, his internal desire to change was almost visible. He'd clearly learned his lesson: if anyone had something to prove to the Club and to themselves on Monday—if anyone saw Monday as a challenge to overcome—it was Andrew Clark. Because of his anger at his dad, and his wholehearted desire to overcome his bully-jock image, it was clear that he was going to try his hardest.

But Claire was a different story. She wasn't a loner like Allison, or a tough guy like Bender. She didn't have the same moral compass that seemed to be guiding Brian when he said "I wouldn't, and I will not," or when he talked about him and Allison being better people than the others. Sure, Claire had claimed that Brian was so committed to his decision because his friends looked up to Claire and her friends, but she wasn't as confident as she sounded. She knew Brian hadn't been thinking like that, and deep down she knew, as soon as he said it, that Brian had been right about being a better person than her. It wasn't that Claire cared so much about her being popular or thought she was better than anyone; it was in fact, if anything, the opposite. Claire was more insecure than any of them. She hadn't earned her princess status; it had just been handed to her because of her looks and her parents' money. And the truth was, Claire didn't know who she was without it.

The truth was, if Claire had any kind of _real _self-esteem; if she had any kind of true identity (intelligent with a bright future like Brian, talented athlete like Andy, deep and skilled artistically like Allison, or even strong, witty, funny, and (she had to admit) oddly charming like Bender—then the stupid social order wouldn't have mattered at all to her. She would have given it up in a minute for these people who'd truly accepted her and opened up to her. She couldn't remember ever bonding with the people she'd called her "friends" since grade school the way she'd bonded with these kids in one day.

But, unfortunately, Claire wasn't any of those things. The way she truly saw herself was that she was an average student; had no real talents or athletic ability; wasn't funny or charming or anything truly special at all. She was terrified that if she stood up to peer pressure, she'd lose her "I'm-popular-because-I'm-pretty-and-have-rich-parents" status, and losing her cover would reveal how much of a nothing she really was. She _needed _her popularity status. It was all she had, the way she saw it.

It killed her to think she could hurt Allison and Brian by ignoring them and not continuing to be friends with them, and the thought of igniting that angry side of John by being nothing more than the stuck-up princess he thought she was made her want to burst into tears. But she couldn't help it. She knew she wouldn't be able to take the pressure. The other members of this little detention group just wouldn't understand that they would be alright without her—they still had everything going for them, even Bender, though he was too angry and stubborn to see all he truly had to offer the world—but _she _was the one who had nothing going for her and everything to lose.

But none of them would know about what Claire really thought of herself until a long time after. At that time, all any of them knew was that she was in fact the weakest of them, and the one that would be most likely to cave to pressure. She was almost _guaranteed_ to. And if she caved, then it would be that much easier for Andrew to cave to, no matter how hard he might try to fight it.

As they sat around on the floor, in a semi-circle, Allison had been the one to finally point out, "It doesn't matter what anyone says right now. It's all easy to say. But we can't know what any of us will actually do… on Monday."

Bender snorted. "I think Claire has made it perfectly clear what she intends to do." Brian wiped his face and said, "Maybe she'll surprise you. Us. She… she could have a change of heart."

Claire turned beet red and kept her head down as Bender laughed sarcastically and said, "I wouldn't hold my breath, there, Big Bri."

Silence fell over the group. Until finally Andy said, more to himself than anyone else really, "It would suck if it has to end like this." This time, the silence spoke everyone's agreement for them.

"Well, maybe it doesn't have to. M-maybe we…I don't know, it's kind of a weird time, like I said, but… and, it would be sad… though, maybe we could do this one last time. Like, just in case."

Bender looked at him with wide eyes. "Do _this? Detention?_"

"Well, n-no, not.. I mean, that's …. I was trying to say… what if we get together one more time? Like tomorrow? Just in case…. you know, statistics and probability, and…just in case Monday is the worst case scenario." Brian clarified.

Finally understanding what the Brain was getting at, the other four began to look around at each other.

"What did you have in mind?" Andy asked curiously. "Well, we could get breakfast tomorrow morning or something. I-I have church, but a-after that I'm free." Brian said hopefully.

"You want us to do _breakfast?_Like, a planned _outing?_In public? Like we really are _friends?_" Bender pretended to be incredulous.

" Well, I just thought…you know, if it doesn't go beyond this when we get back here on Monday, we could, you know, end on a happy note and talk about happy things one last time. Memories and all of that. Somewhere…. Somewhere none of our friends would go…."

Andrew cleared his throat. "That might not be such a bad idea." He said, "Because I'd hate to think the last and only memory you guys have of me is me telling you about what I did to Larry, and crying about letting my father get to me." He half smiled.

Claire finally lifted her head up. "I guess… I guess that would work. I'm in." Brian actually smiled at her.

"Me, too." said Andy. And this left the three to look at Allison and Bender.

"And," added Brian, "at least this way, i-it might help….you know, with getting through the weekend. If we all show up tomorrow…it-it kind of…maybe indicates our intentions? Like, after we've had t-time to process things tonight? If we still…still all show up tomorrow it might be a g-good sign for Monday."

Allison blew on her hair and lifted her eyes up to the sky, trying to clear her eyes. But she didn't have to speak.

Bender sighed, and for once his voice was almost soft. "I think she means, what if some or most of us don't actually show up tomorrow? Wherever this breakfast is supposed to occur."

And just like that the room was silent again. No one wanted to think about that. So Brian figured it was his time to step up. "They will. Everyone will. I just know it. Tomorrow at 11?"

Andy, Claire, and even Allison smiled and nodded. And then they all looked at Bender. Obviously, this touchy feely stuff wasn't his thing. But all he did was try to hide a smirk, pretend to grimace, and say, "So _early_?"

And they knew he was in.

When they left detention, it was as if all the nervousness about the next day and about Monday returned. But they were each determined to hide it. Claire gave Bender one of her earrings, and kissed him…just in case it was the last time they'd ever speak. And Allison took a patch from Andy's letterman jacket…just in case even tomorrow didn't happen and Detention Day turned out to be a dream she had to hold on to.

Brian, not only a devoted student and good son, but usually a humble Christian servant as well, found it hard to focus in church the next morning. He went back and forth between excitement to see his new friends at least one more time, and pure terror that they wouldn't show up. He had tried to sound really confident the day before, not sure if anyone was buying it, but really wanting to believe that the group would come through for him. Now church was almost over and he had less than an hour before they were supposed to meet. And he had no idea what to expect.

_Would they show up? And what if they did? What if yesterday had been a fluke and they had nothing else to talk about?_

Brian really hoped that none of this would be the case. He really need to believe that they could be friends. _Stay_ friends. Sure, Brian had his group that he hung out with at school—the smart kids from his advanced classes. And, sure they sat together at lunch because it only made sense for them to do so. But if Brian was being completely honest, he didn't know if calling them his "friends" was truly appropriate. They weren't the sort of people who did things like "hang out" after school, or go to the movies together. He wouldn't just go to any of their houses just to play video games or enjoy each other's company. No, if they ever hung out outside of school it was for studying or working on a project together. He certainly could never have had a heart to heart talk with them like he'd had with the other kids in detention yesterday. And he'd definitely never have told them the reason he was in detention.

Even a smart kid like Brian couldn't figure out what it was that had allowed the five of them to bond so quickly, and in such a major way. He knew it wasn't _just _because they were in such confined spaces for such a long time. They could have just as easily ignored each other. And the truth be told, if it hadn't been for John Bender having to fill every silence—having to constantly hear the sound of his own voice—they probably _would have _ignored each other_._

But somehow they'd actually ended up having conversations. They'd all, for some reason, gone together with Bender to his locker, when it certainly didn't take five people. He'd protected them and they'd protected him. They'd…done drugs together (except Allison), and somehow, in what seemed like a long time in terms of a detention, but really wasn't in terms of forming a friendship, they'd ended up talking to each other like they'd known each other for years. It was strange, it was inexplicable, and…it was almost as if it were… meant to be.

After church, Brian said goodbye to his parents and decided to walk to the quaint family-style restaurant they'd selected for their breakfast. They'd chosen the place because it was too low-end for Claire's friends, didn't serve the kind of hearty food that Andy's friends would eat, on the opposite side of town from where most of Brian's friends lived, and too boring and cheesy for any of John's friends. It wasn't that they were all ashamed; it's just that they'd decided they wanted a private happy memory in case going public on Monday didn't happen. If they _were_ going to go public, they certainly didn't want it to happen on Sunday.

Brian was the first one to arrive. Figured. He checked his watch: 10:45. He figured he'd use the time to think of conversation topics just in case there were any awkward silences. He was just thinking maybe he'd start a conversation with Allison about music (he'd noticed her looking at what appeared to be a cool album cover during detention), when he heard a familiar squeak. Allison Reynolds was walking towards him. He smiled.

"Hi, cool shirt." He said, not knowing what else to say. Allison "hmmphed" in return. They stood in silence for a few minutes and then Brian asked, "Should we go in and get a table?" To Brian's right, a car door slammed from the side of the building and he heard Andy's voice say, "Not such a good idea. If Bender shows and we're not out here, he'll totally bail. He won't come in looking for us."

Brian blushed at not having thought of that and gave Andrew an awkward wave. But Andrew Clark wasn't even looking at him. He was looking at Allison. She was looking back at him, stomping her foot and then standing on her toes. "Hi," Andy said, smiling. Allison had pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and was wearing a black T-shirt with blue jeans. She hadn't completely kept the look Claire had given her, but she definitely didn't seem to be hidden behind tons of goop on her face and 60 pounds of clothes. But Brian didn't think Andy would have noticed even if Allison were wearing a trash bag. He'd think it was the fashion statement of the year, if he did notice.

"Hi," Allison managed to say. "Am I late?" Andy asked Brian, still not taking his eyes off Allison. "N-no you're right…right on time." Brian said.

It took another five minutes for Bender to show up. "You're late." Andrew said matter-of-factly. "Relax, Sporto, the world didn't end, did it? Klepto…" He nodded, acknowledging Allison's presence.

Andy just scoffed. "Well, now that's Bender's here, should we go inside, or wait for Claire?" Brian asked. _Where was she? Was their weakest link going to be strong enough to make it through even today?_

"I hate to break it to you, Big Bri, but it's never a good sign when someone is later than I am. I don't think Queenie is comin'." Noticing the look on Brian's face Bender quickly added, "Besides, I'm hungry enough to eat one of you. Let's fuckin' do this if we're doing it." And so they headed inside.

As they sat there waiting for the waitress to take their orders, Andy engaged Allison in quiet conversation not meant for Bender and Brian, and Bender tried to joke around enough to keep Brian (who kept eyeing the door looking for Claire) occupied. They were in the middle of getting their order taken when the door opened and Claire came rushing in, face flushed. Brian smiled and raised his hand so she could find them.

"Sorry! I know I'm, like, totally super late, but it wasn't my fault—"

"—Oh, did the maid forget to wake you, Queenie?" Bender interjected. "Shut up, Bender!" Andy and Claire said at the same time. "You are such a pest." Claire said, trying to sound aggravated, but smiling at Bender. He gave her that mischievous smirk of his and Claire could swear she was about to have a heart attack right then and there. Bender noticed her reaction to him and thought to himself: _Maybe it wasn't just a heat of the moment, bad boy infatuation thing. Maybe I did make an impression on her._

But he was someone who had trained himself well. He knew better than to let himself go there. _Not now. Not until I know how Monday is going to go,_he thought_._So he shook his head to clear his thoughts and put back on his obnoxious persona. "And what will Her Royal Highness be having this morning?" He asked her, nodding in the direction of the waitress. Claire ordered a salad and water. "You're worse than Brian and his food groups." Bender quipped.

After the waitress left the group fell into conversation about nothing much at all. Bender was dying to know what Claire's father had to say about her kissing him and giving him her earring.

"Oh, it's totally not a big deal at all." She said. "He was shocked, but he wouldn't dare say anything. He's too busy trying to get me to like him so he can, like, try to turn me against my mother or something, so he doesn't even act like a dad." Claire left out the part about him asking her if she wanted him to buy her another pair of earrings.

"Boy, I wonder what people will say if they notice Bender with a diamond earring in his ear. What if someone puts two and two together?" Andy said, smiling.

"Well, that'd be one way to take whatever this is, public. Claire definitely couldn't ignore me then." Bender smirked. And this made Claire think back to yesterday, remembering his words: "_Sweets? You couldn't ignore me if you tried."_In all honesty, Bender had been 100% correct. He just wasn't the kind of person that was easy to ignore. Not at all. He commanded everyone's attention. Especially hers. Luckily, before she could start blushing, Allison spoke.

"I've been thinking about that. About Monday. And…I think maybe we're planning for it all wrong."

"What do you mean?" Andy asked. All eyes were on Allison.

"Well, you guys know I don't have any friends. And you probably also know that…at least partially, it's by design. I mean, I don't particularly care for the kids at that school. And if I hadn't gotten to know you guys, I probably wouldn't care for you, either, any more than you would care for me. And it's not because I think I'm better, or because anyone at that school is a bad person. It's just the way it's designed. The…high school social environment comes with…preconceived notions and just… forms the way you think about people and what you think about them. It's like a curse. And maybe, as long as the place you meet someone is in high school, you're just doomed or destined to think about them in terms of preconceived notions."

"You got a point, Klepto?" Bender pushed.

"Well, maybe we can change how we end up, you know, as a group, if we keep high school totally out of the equation? Not worry about Monday at all?"

Andrew looked worried. "What are you saying? He asked.

"Well, what if we don't have to worry about Monday because we agree that…well, nothing happens on Monday? What if we agree not to be friends at school at all? Not because we're ashamed of each other, but to avoid all that social hierarchy, gossipy crap? We keep in touch outside of school, and when we're there at school, we keep our outside lives out of it. It's like, so we wouldn't get infected? With the high school poison? They, you guys' friends, can't turn us against each other if our friendship has nothing to do with high school."

"So basically, you're saying, we, like, stay friends and all that, but just, like, not at school?" Claire asked.

Allison nodded. "It's like when you have a job. You keep your home life at home and focus on work when you're at work."

"So we basically ignore each other as if we don't exist, at school, and then we're best friends if we pass each other on the street?" Bender seemed to disapprove, as if this was some stuck-up comment coming from Claire.

"We could get together every other week, or once a week. And hang out. Like we did at detention."

Andy and Bender didn't look convinced. But Brian seemed on board. "It might work. That way Claire would have nothing to worry about, and we-we could get to know each other in the real world. Be real friends. Maybe even past high school."

"It sounds kind of phony." Bender said seriously.

"Well, we wouldn't have to completely ignore each other in school. We could acknowledge each other if we want. But we just would…save all our friendly stuff for outside of school. That's all. We wouldn't feel any obligation to, say, h-have to…eat lunch together, or do projects and stuff. We'd save our time together for after school." Brian encouraged.

"I'm in." whispered Claire, knowing what Bender would think. He rolled his eyes. "Of course you are." He said sarcastically.

Andy looked at Bender. Bender shrugged. "If you're in, Tights, I'm in."

Now it was Andy's turn to roll his eyes, but he said, "Sounds good to me."

"We could meet, maybe one morning a week before school, or on Saturday mornings for breakfast, like we're doing now only it's Sunday." Brian piped up.

"I like it. And that way, when we do meet, we'll have tons to tell each other." Claire said. Andy nodded.

And that was how The Breakfast Club truly became a breakfast club.

And even though the pressure was mostly off, there was still a little curiosity about how Monday would go, and if they had all _really _learned something on Saturday.


	2. Pristine

_"Two Can Be Complete Without The Rest of the World"_

_-Red Light, The Strokes_

Outside of the restaurant, the Breakfast Club said their goodbyes, feeling at least slightly more optimistic about whatever it was that they had together. Andy offered Brian and Allison a ride home in his father's car (Bender had said he was fine to walk.)

Claire could feel Bender's eyes on her as Andy drove off with the others. She looked down, turning away from him as if she were going to her car. She had no idea what to say to him, and she definitely didn't want him to see her blushing. He couldn't know the impact he had on her.

"So, Cherry?" He said, and she could tell he was coming closer to her. "And I want you to know that it's no skin off my back either way, but…. are we really just going to pretend like yesterday didn't happen?"

And that did it. Claire knew she was noticeably red. "Well, I know for you it was probably just your average Saturday, but I don't just do that every day, you know. Or ever."

"I knew it. _Pristine._" He teased her. She rolled her eyes.

"So, tell me, how did a peasant like me end up being Mr. Lucky Number One?"

The smiled faded from her face. Bender looked down at her with confused eyes.

"John," she said softly, and he was taken aback, not used to most people calling him by his first name, "you shouldn't… don't talk about yourself like that."

"What, Queenie? Don't like being reminded of how low me and Klepto and the dweeb have sunk you?"

"Don't call him that!" _She was serious. Whoa._ He didn't realize Claire cared about Brian. "And no, that's not what I meant. I just meant… you're not a peasant."

Bender was silent. He'd never had anyone counter him when he'd made jokes about himself before. He didn't know how to react. He'd always just accepted that he was worthless and would never amount to anything, and if he made jokes about it then no one could use it to hurt him. And it usually worked. There was only one time when he'd forgotten to beat the other person to the punch. That time had been yesterday. He could still hear the words ringing in his head. "_You know, Bender, you don't even count…. You may as well not even exist at this school." _He could kick himself for the brief moment of hurt he knew must have shown on his face; for even letting _stupid fucking Sporto's _words get to him.

Bender realized that he had zoned out, and Claire was still talking to him. "And you know what's, like, the really screwed up part? You _know _you're not a peasant. I can tell. It's either easier for you to let everyone think you are so they don't expect anything of you, or you use that image to push people away so they won't hurt you."

Bender was frozen. No one had ever spoken to him like this. And while he didn't like it, he knew Claire was right. As much as it hurt him to be called worthless by his own parents, the people who were supposed to fucking _love _him, he'd used that label to his advantage. He used it until it started to use him, and until he had started to believe it. Only, he didn't believe it. Not really. Claire was right about that.

He turned on her. "Do me a favor, Cherry. Save that touchy feely counselor talk for the basket case, alright? Before yesterday you wouldn't have even looked at me for two seconds. You spend one stupid detention with me, and what? Now you think you know me?!"

Claire had gone from being surprised, to confused, to scared, to hurt in the seconds it'd taken him to get those words out. "I didn't say that! Look, I was just trying to help, okay?!"

They stood there staring at each other, both angry. Claire wanted to yell back at him. She wanted to call him all kinds of names. But she knew better. It was as if yesterday had opened her eyes to things she'd been oblivious to before, like other people's feelings for example. She knew Bender wasn't really mad at _her, _he just wasn't used to anyone caring. And as far as Claire was concerned, he definitely had his guard up. Claire couldn't blame him. He was the only one who'd had the guts to come even close to pointing out that she was the weak link. So she couldn't blame him for being suspicious of her and her motives. Besides, she was pretty sure people like her had been making Bender's already rough life even more miserable since he was a child. So it wouldn't kill her to cut the guy some slack. She owed him at least that, especially after the snotty way she'd treated him yesterday. Sure, he'd been obnoxious and a jerk to her too, but she understood now that it had only been because he knew what people like her thought of him, and he was giving her what she expected—while at the same time forcing conversation with her to let her know that she wasn't above people like him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, only to realize that he was saying the exact same thing. Looking up at him, she saw a look of shock on his face.

"What are you sorry for, Cherry?" he asked. All she could do was shrug. Then he moved closer to her.

"Do you really not think I'm a peasant?" he asked. He tried to smile at her but his sincerity and nervousness betrayed him. Claire smiled warmly at him. "I don't. You may be able to fool goons like Vernon, but you can't fool me. I'm guessing that you're probably actually very smart. You read people well, and you make people laugh and you're actually one of the most mature people I've met, I think. That is, when you're not being beyond obnoxious."

Bender gave her a genuine laugh. "What can I say? I'm a complicated person." And Claire laughed back. "I better go."

But as she turned to get in her car, he said, "Hey, Cherry? So, this plan of the basketcase, how does it lend itself to us continuing what we started yesterday?

Claire moved back towards him. "I gave you a diamond earring, didn't I? Unless you think I've given one to all the boys that I don't let touch little old _pristine_ me, obviously that means I'm interested in moving beyond just a one-time kiss in a closet. I just don't want to move too fast. If we all stick strictly to Allison's idea, we're only going to be hanging out, like, once a week."

"Well, then," said Bender, as he pulled her closer to him, "we'll just have to make the most of the weekly kumbaya sessions. Sneak away and give Sporto and Klepto something to envy." And before either or both of them could overthink it, he kissed her.

Claire blushed as they broke the kiss, and asked him, "You sure you don't want a ride?"

"Nope. I got a car of my own I'm fixing up; friend of mine said I could have it if I can get it running. Shop's nearby. Later, Cherry." And he turned and started walking off.

"Oh," he called over his shoulder, "and if you see Sticky Fingers before I do on Monday, and should you decide to have a backbone, tell her I WANT MY KNIFE BACK!"


	3. Offer of Friendship

_"Say A Prayer Now_

_Don't Get Scared Now_

_You Don't Want Trouble_

_We Might Get Some."_

_-Killing Lies, The Strokes_

Andrew Clark pulled into the school parking lot on Monday morning more nervous than he could ever remember being. Not even wrestling matches could make his stomach feel this queasy. It was funny that four almost perfect strangers could make a strong jock like him feel insecure: particularly one raven haired recluse.

It was also weird to him to include Claire in the category of "strangers" he'd bonded with two days ago. He'd known Claire socially since freshman year. Their paths had always crossed because they went to the same events and a lot of their "friends" were friends with each other. But Andy was only beginning to realize that he'd never truly known Claire. He couldn't remember ever having a real conversation with her—certainly not one as meaningful as the conversations they'd had with the others in detention.

Andy wondered if the other four had spent as much time thinking about that whole day as he had. He'd never opened up to anyone like that, and the fact that he'd been able to still face them the next day was almost a small miracle within itself; let alone the fact that he'd still felt more than comfortable around them even after all they'd said to each other.

But that had all been when they were in their own little world, just the five of them, where no one else could touch them. Sure, Allison had come up with a brilliant plan that _seemed _to solve the whole "what will happen on Monday" problem. Bender, Brian, and Claire had seemed all for it, and even Andrew had pretended to think it would work. But he still had his reservations. Contrary to those people who saw him as just some jock, he wasn't as shallow and airheaded as people thought. Andrew knew that it was all well and good for them to_ say _that they were letting each other off the hook about Monday, and that they would all just agree that nothing had to happen, but he knew that feelings and emotions had nothing to do with rationalizations made in a booth on a happy Sunday afternoon. Keeping their friendship outside of school and agreeing to meet on the weekends or alternate weeks, would be fun, but only _if_ they made it to that point.

But what were they supposed to do in the meantime? They'd all but agreed that they wouldn't hold it against each other if they didn't eat lunch together or pass notes to each other in class and all that, but surely their conversation in detention about acknowledging each other still applied. Andrew knew what would happen if Brian came up to him and spoke, and if Andrew reacted the way Claire predicted he would; or if Claire joined her snobby friends in ignoring Allison; or if Bender decided to be a dick and ignore them all, or told people that he was "doing it" with Claire. He knew that there would be many hurt feelings, and no Saturday morning hangouts or anything else. If they all went right back to being who they were before the detention—if they ignored each other—there would be no getting past that, or no having a wonderful meal together again like they'd done yesterday.

With these things in mind, Andrew had decided to make a gesture of good faith. He'd offered both Allison and Brian a ride to school for that morning. He wanted them, especially Allison, to know that he was trying to think for himself, and that he wanted them to be a part of his life. But both of them had politely said no. Brian usually took the bus, and Allison was either driven by her parents, or left early so she could walk. They'd both told him that he didn't need to offer them a ride, and Andy had a feeling they thought he was just making some empty gesture. Good thing he was so good at sports and challenges; he definitely had his work cut out for him if he wanted to prove himself.

He didn't have to wait long for his first opportunity. He'd started looking for any other member of the club, especially Allison, as soon as he got to school, but it wasn't until after 3rd period that he saw any of them. He was walking to his math class when he saw Brian Johnson leaning against a wall with his nose in a book. He thought about all the people that were in the hallway, and what his teammates, the people that he'd called friends, would say.

And then he thought of Allison. The way she'd looked at him when she'd said, "_You do everything everyone tells you to do, and THAT is a problem." _Here she was, being ignored by her parents and always on the verge of tears, and _she _pitied _him. _He remembered how that felt. He'd been interested in getting to know her from the moment she laughed at Claire pitying herself over the Standishes fighting over her, and he'd been intrigued by her. But she _pitied _him. He could see it in her eyes how little she thought of him and his weakness in not being able to stand up for himself.

Andrew knew that anytime he thought of that look on Allison's face, he wouldn't be able to be that weak kid anymore. No more letting people just think he was strong just because he wrestled. It was time to actually do something to prove he was strong in the ways that counted.

He took a deep breath and approached Brian. "Hey, Brian. Watcha got there? You do know there's a whole world out there outside of those books of yours, right?"

Brian must have really been into whatever it was he was reading, because he almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Andy's voice, as if he hadn't even seem Andrew coming over to him; as if he'd even forgotten he was in the middle of a crowded hallway.

"Jeez, kid. You really oughtta take your head out of those books sometimes, or you're going to end up having a heart attack one of these days." Andrew chuckled.

"U-um, hi Andrew. What's up?" Andy could tell Brian was surprised to be having a conversation with him.

"Just thought I'd say hello. What are you reading?" Andy asked again. Brian folded the book closed so Andrew could see the title: War and Peace. "Interesting choice," Andy said, "you know, I'm beginning to think high school is a war in itself. I've had that suspicion for a while, but I think we proved that on Saturday, huh?"

Brian looked even more surprised. Andrew couldn't tell if it was because of the fact that Andrew was speaking to him, or if it was because he hadn't expected Andrew, king of the dumb jocks, to say something that meaningful or to relate high school to anything negative.

"Yeah, I'll say. Definitely one way of looking at it." He placed a bookmark in the pages, and closed the book. Then he pulled out a piece of paper with what looked like physics problems on it. And then Andy had an alarming thought.

"Brian, am I disturbing you? Are you…are you still feeling pressured? About your grades?" He said it in a very low voice so no one else could hear.

"No, no it's not that. Well, yeah, but…. I just… you don't have to do this…Allison said…and what will the jocks think if they see you talking to me?"

Andy looked taken aback by this. "Brian, I know what Allison said. But…but I'm not going to ignore you. Jesus, how much of a coward do you…think I am?" Brian turned red, and Andy knew the Brain hadn't meant to offend him. "Besides, if they said anything to me, I'd just tell them they should meet my really smart new friend. I know it's not going to be easy, but I'm not going to base my decisions or actions, anymore, on pleasing someone else. Not my dad, and not them. Not after…" And Brian could tell that Andrew was thinking of what he'd done to Larry Lester. He was almost on the verge of tears.

Brian knew he should be getting to class in a minute, but he didn't want to leave Andrew feeling so down. "We all make mistakes, Andy. I-I guess the only thing we can do to prove we're truly sorry is learn from them so we don't make them again." Andrew just nodded. "We better get to class. I-it was really nice of you to stop by." He smiled shyly when Andrew finally looked up at him. Andy smiled back and waved, as they went off in their separate directions.

It was Brian's turn next to run into a member of the Breakfast Club. And in his case it was almost a literal run-in. He'd been trying to get downstairs to go to the locker room. As he passed by the side door leading to the area where the burnouts hung out, it swung open, and almost hit him. In walked some guy Brian didn't know, and John Bender.

Cool as ever, Bender didn't seem to even be phased by running into the Brain. "Whoa, there, Big Bri. Does Dick know you're running in the halls? You wouldn't want to land yourself another detention with me and the old man." Bender's friend laughed, and Brian stammered, "Uh, ha ha, yeah, I know, sorry," even though Bender had been the one to bump into him. "That'd be the shits, right?"

Bender took off his sunglasses and stared at Brian behind his wide chocolate eyes with a look that, if Brian were as good as Bender at reading people, he'd know was nothing more than amusement. But Brian read it as insulted, and it was his turn to have a wide-eyed look. "Um, I—I didn't mean that hanging out with you would be the shits, I- I just meant… you know, detention, and all." Bender's eyes were getting wider and portraying more and more amusement by the second. His friend, Freddie, laughed again and patted Brian on the back. "I think he's just yanking your chain, man." Then he walked off.

And suddenly Brian understood why Bender had been the most emotional and adamant about the whole "what will happen on Monday thing" when they sat on the floor talking in detention. The way he'd yelled at Claire, the way he'd called out both Brian and Andrew. It was because in his own way, Bender was just as cool and popular (maybe not for the best of reasons, but still well-known) as Claire and Andrew—most likely way cooler, actually. Yet his coolness didn't come from his rep as a dangerous badass, or from tearing other people down to make himself look better. Unlike Andy and Claire, Bender's coolness came from being able to like himself for who he was, and (even when he was at his most obnoxious) still being a good person deep down inside. He didn't care about who he was seen with, because he was secure enough in who he was (criminal and all) to know that whoever he surrounded himself with had no impact on the kind of standards and morals he had, and who he was to himself. His friend hadn't even given a second thought to the fact that Bender was talking to a dork. He didn't even look at Brian like he was a dork. He just looked at him like a normal person; a friend of Bender's , even—and that seemed to make him alright enough.

"So, where are you off to, Big Bri?" Bender asked, interrupting Brian's thoughts. "Um, gym. I'm really late."

"Eh, don't worry. If you get into trouble just tell old Coach Fuller that I hit you with the door and you thought you had to go to the nurse, and I intimidated you out of going." Brian nervously laughed off Bender's comment. "So, hey, I told Allison she could sit with me at lunch if she wants to. D-do..that is, I know you probably normally go outside, but.. You can come sit with us, too, if you want, Bender."

Bender smirked at him. "Are you asking me out on a date, dweebie?" And of course Brian blushed. "Well, I just thought, if you wanted someone to eat with…."

"Well, thanks for the invite, Bri, but in case you haven't figured it out with that huge brain of yours, there's a reason why I'm always outside smoking during lunch. I don't normally bring a lunch. Or…or buy one." He looked down at his feet, and Brian realized the impossible: Bender was embarrassed.

Brian didn't know how to tell Bender that he'd already figured this out and planned for this possibility. He didn't want to embarrass Bender even more or, worse, incite his anger.

"W-well, I actually have enough for two people. P B &amp; J sandwiches, fruit, lots of—lots of cookies and even some of the good chips." He tried to smile at Bender reassuringly. "You didn't pack this stuff specifically for me, did you?" Bender asked.

"No, no of course not. That'd be silly." Brian lied. The truth was that he'd wanted to help Bender. Not because he pitied him, but because Bender had been nice to him, and despite all the high school bullshit, Bender seemed to like him as he was, and he thought Bender was pretty cool as he was. So even though he'd had no idea how Monday would play out, he'd come prepared to extend a friendly, helping hand to Bender.

Bender looked him over. He was suspicious, but decided to be grateful for the offer of friendship and kindness that Brian was extending to him.

"Alright, Big Bri. See you and your food groups at lunch." They smiled at each other and went off in their opposite directions, just as Brian had done with Andy earlier.


	4. A Modicum of Respect

_"Life's too short to even care at all_

_I'm coming up now, coming up now _

_Out of the blue_

_These zombies in the park, they're looking for my heart_

_A dark world aches for a splash of the sun"_

_-Cough Syrup, Young The Giant_

Allison Reynolds felt like she was in some kind of alternate universe. She had expected, especially after sharing her "nothing happens on Monday" idea, to be able to pretty much go about her school day as invisible as ever. When she had come up with the idea, she thought she'd been protecting her own feelings; trying to make sure it wouldn't hurt so much when Claire laughed at her with the popular girls, or when Andrew pretended like they hadn't kissed—pretended like he didn't even know her. She had thought that the five of them agreeing to keep things outside of school was the only way she could hold on to the new friends she'd just found—the only true friends she'd ever had. She didn't mind being alone at school: she abhorred most of the kids at school, and as she'd implied to the Club yesterday at brunch, her having everyone think she was a weirdo was definitely intentional on her part.

And one could even say that Allison _made _herself invisible on purpose while inside the walls of Shermer High. Not being seen meant that she didn't have to worry about the pressure of conformity or being teased.

But being ignored by her parents; them pretending she didn't exist—_that_ was another story. It was their fault that she was so good at blending in and hiding behind her hair and dark clothes. She used to have friends before high school, and she remembered what it was like to go to their houses after school and see those friends being greeted lovingly by their parents and being given hugs and kisses and after school snacks. And she'd wanted so badly to even just be acknowledged when she came into her own home. But she wasn't.

Then she saw the friends who _did _notice her and make her feel like something, start to ignore her in high school, because of the pressure to fit in. Allison had always been a little different, and none of her friends had ever seemed to mind that about her. But once they got to high school it became a different story. There was _so much pressure _to fit in, and most people just didn't have the heart to stand for it. No one wanted to be associated with the school freak at a time when acceptance had become so important to them. So one by one they had slowly started pulling away from her, until Allison found herself completely alone.

Before she met the members of The Breakfast Club, she (the compulsive liar that she was) had been able to delude herself into thinking that she was fine with being alone in the world. But when she met those other four people, it was like they had exposed all her great big lies, and _that _lie had been the biggest one that they exposed.

Because, Claire had been right about her. She was hiding. She'd constructed an image that wasn't truly her own, all in an attempt to shut out the world and protect herself. She suspected Bender was doing the same thing, and that was why she'd felt a special connection to him almost from the moment he said, "_I've seen you before, you know." _Not just because he was the only person who'd ever taken notice of her since high school started (he even knew enough to know that she didn't really speak, and inform Vernon of that fact), but because she had a feeling they came from the same place of pain and heartache.

And maybe these people had come into her life for a reason. Maybe it was time to stop hiding. That was why she'd let Claire give her a makeover; because it wasn't actually a makeover, it was a make-_under. _Claire just wanted to remove all that stuff she was hiding in, and see what was underneath. Nobody had ever cared enough to want to see what was underneath, except Andrew (he cared enough to continue to try to engage her, even when _she _ignored _him_ and shot him down). And so, because Claire had cared enough to want to see what was underneath and bring it to light, Allison had let her.

Being with those four unique, awesome people had been like a breath of fresh air. They were the first people she'd said a word to in….well, Allison couldn't even remember how long it had been since she'd opened her mouth to speak to someone before them. And Allison wasn't ready to go back into the dark, polluted world she'd been in. She liked these people, and she didn't like _anyone. _So if the only way to still have those human connections were to have them only once a week or twice a month, then so be it.

But it was almost as if Allison's solution of taking the pressure off, had done its job a little _too _well. For some reason, knowing they weren't obligated to her while in school had made Andy offer her a ride twice, Claire smile and joke with her in the hallway, and Brian ask her to sit with him at lunch. They had all been so concerned that they would go back to ignoring each other's existence on Monday, and yet they'd all gone above and beyond the minimum expectation they'd had on Saturday of mere acknowledgement. It was weird. But a good weird.

As she headed to the cafeteria for lunch, Allison couldn't help but be grateful that it was Brian she was going to spend a whole lunch period with, as opposed to any of the others. Even though Claire had come up to her earlier and joked "Day 2 without the 'black shit'—I'm shocked! You look great, but you always did," Allison did notice that Claire had been alone when she did it. And even though she really, really liked Andy a lot, she couldn't deny that she felt a closeness with Brian and Bender that was different—stronger—than what she felt for Claire and Andrew. Brian was sensitive like she was, and Bender was a misunderstood, troubled loner like she was. Allison just _knew _that those two would be able to understand her in a way the others just wouldn't.

She saw Brian waiting for her at their agreed upon meeting spot near his locker (the locker he was sharing with his friend Dell, since his own had been completely destroyed). Both of them had brought their lunch (Allison wouldn't _ever_ eat the trash Shermer High served), so they could go straight to Brian's table at the back of the cafeteria.

"So, how's your day been?" Brian asked her shyly as they sat down and opened their lunch bags.

"Tragic." Allison said, wearing a devious smile. "I'm not so invisible anymore." Brian smiled back. Then he asked, "Have you seen…seen anyone?"

"Just you and Claire. And that's only because I saw her as we were both going into the girl's room. I don't think Bender goes to many classes, and sports guys don't usually take the same classes as artistically inclined basket cases."

"Oh," Brian responded sort of solemnly.

"Don't worry," Allison said, "I'm sure The Sport hasn't been avoiding me. I'm sure the life of a Sport is very, very busy."

"Yeah," snickered a familiar voice behind them, "I'm sure when he isn't practicing or taping buns together, Sporto is real busy cleaning those tights he wears." Bender sat down next to Brian. He could see the dweeb looking around to see if anyone was staring at Bender, wondering why he was sitting with a nerd and a weirdo.

"You got some place you'd rather be, dweebie?" He asked as he reached into Brian's lunch bag and pulled out a bag of chips. Then he froze. "Don't tell Cherry I said that. Apparently I'm not allowed to call you a dweeb, even with the most well-meaning, endearing intentions." Bender tried to make his voice sound sarcastic, but was unsuccessful. He could tell by Brian's blush that he had given away that he actually liked the kid. The truth was, besides Claire, he liked Brian most of all.

"S-she told you..n-not to call me dweebie?" Brian asked. Bender chomped on his chips and said, "She was adamant about it, Big Bri. Apparently Cherry's queen-of-the-school guilt has gotten the best of her." He looked at Allison with that amused glimmer in his eyes, and Allison returned his look with a defiant smirk of her own. Bender couldn't help but think if things really happened with Klepto and Sporto, Sporto was going to find himself with his hands full. And speaking of the Klepto….

'So, Klepto? Let's have it." Bender said to her, looking her square in the eye. He knew that she knew exactly what he was talking about. He wasn't going to make it easy for her to see that he wasn't really mad.

Allison rolled her eyes, made sure no one else was looking, reached in her bag, and then slid Bender's knife and lock across the table to him. "I trust this won't be the last time you'll be relieving me of my possessions." It was a question, but he said it more as a statement. And then they both gave each other challenging, amused looks. Allison didn't answer. She didn't need to; it was just understood.

Brian handed Bender a can of soda and a sandwich, and they both watched in silence as Allison repeated her Captain Crunch routine from Saturday. That day, they had been disgusted, but now they were impressed; they saw and knew it as Allison's personal statement of individuality and defiance. She liked the loud noise of the crunch in her sandwich.

"Y-you know, I….it's odd…. Imagining….I actually thought that the best case scenario would be that this is how things would end up."

"Meaning?" asked Bender.

"The three of us. Worst….worst case scenario was that Allison would be impossible to find, and Claire and Andrew would ignore us all, and… not, like….no offense or anything….that you would beat me up or something for talking to you. Best case scenario was that Claire and Andrew would ignore us and the three of us would be hanging out like this."

But Bender was still hung up on another part of Brian's comments. "You thought I was going to _beat you up?_ After how pissed I got at Queenie for saying we wouldn't be friends today? Do you think I'm some kind of savage or something? An animal? "

"I bet Claire thinks you're an animal. But, in a good way. Not in the way you mean right now." Allison joked, with a sensual, badass half smile—like the one she'd had on Saturday while talking about having supposed sex with her therapist. Bender turned his wide eyes on her. "Very funny, Klepto. I would hope she knows that if her interest in me is only to fulfill some kind of slumming fantasy, she can eat my shorts."

Then he turned back to Brian. "I know," said Brian, "it was stupid. I guess I mean I felt bad about the shop comment, about the lamp and everything, and I thought…m-maybe you might be mad about it still. Obviously it's just as important as trigonometry." Bender was blown away. Had the dork really been bothered by their unresolved mini-argument this whole time?

"Don't sweat it, Big Bri. In fact, you shouldn't back down. Your standing up to me in that conversation and not being some scared dweebie punk is actually one of the reasons I have a modicum of respect for you. More than a modicum."

He wasn't going to elaborate, but Bender had figured out pretty early on that Saturday that Brian was a cool dude. Not just for a dweebie, but in general. He was awkward and shy, but he wasn't weak and cowering like most of the other high school dorks. The fact that he resented his status as "_a parent's wet dream_", and that he hadn't been afraid to get into the trigonometry/shop debate with Bender, pretty much gave Brian Johnson all the credit and respect in the world in Bender's eyes.

But then he had to go and ruin it by saying, "Oh, okay. Good. Have you spoken to Claire?"

Bender shook his head. "Not since yesterday. I wouldn't _dare_ embarrass Queenie by interrupting her when she's holding court." Bender's voice held a joking tone, but his face gave away a hint of resentment. Brian and Allison turned to where he was now looking, and they could see Claire laughing with her rich girlfriends. It was as if she could feel eyes on her, because she looked over at them then. The smile on her face went from being an empty, phony one to a sincere and warm one at the sight of them.

But it wasn't enough for Bender. He couldn't figure out why not being able to just storm up to her and kiss her was bothering him so much. He didn't pull out of his funk even when Andrew walked by the table and stopped long enough to say hello to them.

After Andrew left, he jumped up and said, "I'm going to smoke outside with the other _burnouts_ before class." And Bender was gone.

Brian looked at Allison and said, "I hope you and Andrew are cool, because if those two are going to get together for real, there's going to be a lot of major drama. Of Romeo and Juliet intensity." Allison squeaked a laugh in agreement.


	5. Nobody's Perfect

_"Everything I thought I knew fell to the side_

_Time went on and on_

_I couldn't see past my own eyes"_

_-Right Before My Eyes, Cage The Elephant_

Claire found herself in a state of confusion by the end of that Monday. She didn't understand why she all of a sudden felt like everything around her was brand new or something. When she'd walked into school that morning, she'd felt as if she were seeing the steps, the hallways, the lockers—all of it—for the first time. She saw faces in the crowd that she had never noticed before. Claire wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her, if there was some kind of random influx of new people in the school, or if she really was just some stuck up snob who'd always looked right past all these people every day. Claire wanted to believe that this Monday there just happened to be a whole bunch of new students, but she knew that was ridiculous. No, these were kids that had gone to school with her for a while. Some of them had been her school mates since grade school. And she'd looked right past them as if they weren't even there. Bender had been right. Queen of the whole fucking school. Looking down, literally and figuratively, on her subjects.

Her day had only gotten worse from there. The whole day she'd felt like she was in a daze or having some kind of out of body experience. Things that had meant so much to her before she left school on Friday suddenly seemed annoying and pointless. As soon as she'd gotten into the school, she'd been bombarded by her "friends" Annabelle, Charlotte, and Erica.

"Oh my god! Hey Claire!" Erica greeted her. It was the same way Erica greeted her every morning, and usually Claire just smiled and said hello back. But today, for some reason, Claire found even the sound of Erica's grating voice to be annoying. "Hi, Erica." Claire replied half-heartedly.

" It so sucks that you had detention, Claire, hon. We had an awesome time shopping Saturday afternoon, but it would have been better if you were there."

Claire tried not to roll her eyes. "But we just went shopping. We cut class to do it. That's the whole reason I got detention, _remember? _I was the one that got caught."

But Erica just glossed right over that, as if Claire's feelings and thoughts were irrelevant. "Yeah, but that was different. School clothes. School clothes and party clothes are different. We needed new stuff for the party."

Charlotte chimed in with bright eyes, "The party! The party was sooo killer. Megan Court made out with Billy Meeks! Ew! I mean, I can understand getting wasted at a weekend party, but that is no reason to commit social suicide. He is such a weirdo. What was she _thinking?_"

Annabelle just stood there quietly smiling and nodding along, as Erica continued where Charlotte left off: "And you should have seen what Hannah Crawley had on; she is such a wannabe! She came up and tried to talk to us at the party and Annabelle tried to be nice, but her shoes were so utterly disgusting that I just had to walk away before I threw up on them.

Charlotte, Annabelle, and Erica all laughed. On Friday, Claire would have laughed too. But this was Monday. Claire couldn't help but ask herself if this was how _they _saw her? Did the Breakfast Club think she was nothing more than a trivial bitch like these girls? Was that how _he _had seen her?

"I've got to go. I, like, totally need to study before Chemistry. Big test." And with that Claire turned and walked off from them.

The rest of her day had been pretty much the same. She'd giggled and smiled, and lounged around with her friends between classes, because that was what girls like her did. But she hadn't had much to add to any of their conversations. Conversations that revolved around clothes, makeup, celebrity talk, and making fun of other people.

Claire was sixteen; it was young, sure, but sixteen years was a large amount of time nonetheless. She couldn't believe that in all that time it hadn't occurred to her that there was more to life than spending Daddy's money and which lipstick to wear. As she sat at lunch and her friends discussed what they would wear to the next school dance, Claire looked longingly at the table where Brian and Allison were seated with _John Bender, _and she thought about how there were people out there like Brian who didn't even think their life was worth living. How ridiculous was talking about clothes in a world like this?

But then, as they talked about who said what outside the girl's bathroom, she thought about what these girls would say about her if she was seen talking to Brian, hanging out with Allison, or kissing Bender. And she was torn. Although Claire wasn't as hurt as one would expect at the thought of not having these girls in her life if they were to shun her, she knew they wouldn't immediately shun her. First, they'd pressure the hell out of her to stay away from the Club, to not ruin her reputation. And then Claire would remember that that reputation was all that she really had. The idea of the pressure they would put on her to be like them—and the way they would talk about her if she didn't; that would hurt too much. The life she had with these people (as shallow as it was) wasn't much, but it was all that she knew.

On the other hand, Claire _hated _to think that anyone would see her the way that the Breakfast Club saw her friends. The way _she _was beginning to see them. She never wanted to be that mean again. Why couldn't she just find some happy medium where she could be the _nice _popular girl, and rub off on all the popular kids, encouraging them to be more accepting of others until finally there were no social groups at all?

Yeah, right. As if that would ever happen in a million years.

By the time school was over Claire was starting to wish sh_e _was as invisible as Allison. And speaking of Allison; that was exactly who she needed right now. Before Claire knew was she was doing, she was stalling after school hoping that she would catch Allison before she left so they could maybe go back to her house and talk. That was what they had agreed on, right? After school hours were fair game.

She'd managed to avoid her friends when the last bell rang by hiding out in class pretending she was searching for something in her bag. Once she was sure her friends would have left to go get ready for evening dates or fancy dinners with their parents' business associates, she headed toward the front of the school, hoping that she'd run into Allison. She couldn't very well go the burnout wall in search of Bender (even if she hadn't been worried about what people would think, fear of him thinking she was stalking him would have been enough to stop her if she had wanted to go), she didn't know exactly where Brian would be right now, and Andrew definitely would be getting ready for practice. And probably none of them would understand the way sensitive Allison would. She was another _girl _after all, no matter what else she was or who she appeared to be on the surface.

She ran down the steps and over to her car, and stood there pretending to be fumbling for her keys, but really searching the crowd for Allison.

When Allison did come out, she stood still as if she was waiting for someone. She didn't seem to notice Claire, so Claire knew she must have been waiting on her parents. Claire wondered what she should do to get her attention. She didn't want to call out to her. Finally she just sort of waved her arms in the air, hoping Allison would see her.

She did. After covering her look of someone who had been startled, almost frightened, she slowly made her way down the steps and over to Claire. "Hi," Claire said almost shyly.

In response, Allison blurted out, "They forgot to pick me up. They do that sometimes." It took a moment for Claire to register what she meant. And she didn't quite know how to respond.

"I'm sorry. Do you want a ride?" was what she finally settled on. Allison looked at her suspiciously, so she continued. "It's after school hours, remember?" Allison finally resigned and climbed in. Claire climbed in too and drove off.

They rode in silence at first, but finally Claire spoke. "Allison? How come you and Brian and Bender were eating lunch together? I thought, like…. You know. It was, like, your idea and everything."

Allison squeaked—an amused one. "I think it was just because it was the first day and everything. I don't think it'll be every day. Bender will go back to his burnout section outside and Brian told me he studies in the library sometimes during lunch. And me? I'll probably go back to eating on the football field by myself. But that's okay. That's the way it should be. High school just messes up everything."

Claire just nodded. Allison knew something was on her mind. Claire had been standing out there waiting for her for a reason, Allison knew. She certainly wouldn't risk being seen with the weirdo for nothing.

"Claire? Is something wrong? Is it… Bender?"

Claire's face went a little red at the mention of his name, but shook her head. "No. I mean, not really."

"He's so weird," Allison laughed. "He was _not _enjoying seeing you in the lunch room with those… girls."

Claire lightened up at the tone in Allison's voice. She even found herself laughing. "He's so infuriating. I mean, we, like, all agreed on this, and he's _still _determined to prove that I'm some humongous bitch. He kisses me on Saturday, kisses me on Sunday, and then, like, can't wait to label me a monster on Monday."

Allison smiled again. "Well, I don't think he was mad at you. I think he was just frustrated because he couldn't just walk up to you like he wanted to. And he didn't know how to… express that."

Claire understood. She was even flattered by the thought of John Bender being frustrated because he wanted her and was too… _whatever…._to risk coming up to her in front of everyone. But her pride wouldn't let her admit even to Allison that she was flattered. "I don't get him. He's so confident about you and Brian. He even seems to like Andy. But he has, like, zero faith in me and my… I don't know…morality as a person."

Allison blew on her hair, but she was clearly amused at their version of girl talk. "If you ask me…. I think it's just cause he likes you best. Or, at least, differently. You were the one to say we wouldn't be friends today, and you're the one he likes…that way. So you had the most potential to hurt him."

Claire blushed again. "I guess," she said doubtfully. And then she hesitated before saying, "Honestly, I didn't expect things to turn out… like that. I sort of thought he liked you. When he was saying those things to me about the bra and white wedding and all that stuff… I thought he was doing it to try to seem all...deviant. To try to impress _you_."

Allison actually laughed at that. "I could see why someone would think that. Logically, I guess Bender and I are the most alike. But that's probably why we'd make an awful couple. We're _too_ much alike."

That made Claire feel a little better. But talking about Bender wasn't why she wanted to be alone with Allison.

"Allison? How did you…you know, like, get to be the way you are? I mean….did you ever just wake up one morning and feel like…like everything about your life, I mean, like, everything you know of it, and the world, is just….wrong? Backwards?"

Allison got that weird look like she was about to cry. "Yeah. About the time when I had to stop pretending that my parents were 'just busy' and admit that they weren't busy; they just didn't really want anything to do with me. And then again when my friends all started ignoring me, too. I started to think that maybe the world wasn't as great a place as maybe they lead us to believe when we're little."

"Yeah, I get that. I kind of felt like that all day today. I just kept listening to my friends talk about all this meaningless crap, and kept thinking of you guys. It sucked to think that I am that shallow. That mean. And worst of all, it,like, totally sucked to think Bender might be right about me."

Allison replied softly, "You're not mean, Claire. You just…nobody's perfect. I may not have friends, I mean, outside of you guys, but… if I did, I would understand wanting to keep them. The fear of losing them. It's why I came up with the idea that I did. Because I didn't….. want to lose you guys today."

Claire wanted to elaborate and tell Allison what she was really feeling. She wanted to explain that the really awful part was that she didn't even value her "friends" for any sentimental reasons. But she didn't want to sound pathetic. Luckily, they pulled up at Allison's house just then.

Allison could see that Claire looked almost completely crushed. "Claire, do you want to come in for a minute?"

Claire smiled. After the day she'd had, some meaningful conversation was exactly what she needed.


	6. Existential Crisis

_"You are looking for your own voice but in others_  
_While it hears you, trapped in another dimension"_

_-11th Dimension, Julian Casablancas_

John Bender, no longer able to deny it even to himself, realized as he sat in detention on Saturday morning—the second Saturday morning in a row- that he was having an existential crisis.

The first indicator, of course, was the fact that someone like him was self-aware enough to even realize he was having such a thing. Just the fact that he was able to register it as more than his trademark anger that he hid behind, was a shock to him.

The second indicator was the fact that he was experiencing so many different emotions about the way his week had gone; the fact that in the course of one week he was thinking in a way (about people he would never have even spoken to before that fateful detention) that had him questioning who he even was anymore.

Monday had been everything he'd expected to happen, as well as the exact opposite.

He'd expected Brian to speak to him if they ran into each other, and he knew that he and Klepto would nod at each other or give each other wise guy smirks. He also knew that poor Sporto would spend the day with a constipated look on his face trying to decide what to say or do around Klepto if he saw her, and how much interaction with the other three was appropriate enough to show his intentions, while still sticking to the "nothing happens on Monday" pact they'd all made with Klepto. And Queenie would do exactly as she had predicted on Saturday—only (and this was the part that made him want to kick things and hurt things) she'd feel perfectly justified in doing so because of Klepto's stupid idea, when Queenie _should_ feel like a traitorous bitch.

So those were the things he'd expected. And they had all happened. He _hadn't_ expected for Brian to bring him lunch. And when he asked Brian if he'd brought all that extra food specifically for him, he _knew _the dweeb was lying when he said no. Bender was just that good. But the kid was so good, so kind, and so… just uniquely Brian… that Bender didn't have the heart to let Brian know that _he _knew. And, he had to admit, it had been so long since anyone had really truly given a shit about him that it was kind of nice. The fact that Brian did that without wanting anything in return, without doing it just to make him feel pitied or needy, well that just confirmed why Bender was so fond of the boy. Bender also hadn't expected to be having lunch with Klepto, and certainly didn't expect her to talk (let alone make sexual jokes toward him that basically showed she thought he was hot). And he _definitely _didn't expect a visit to the table from Sporto, or the warm smile they got from Claire. Looking at her, Bender knew it wasn't just a smile of acknowledgement, it was a smile of longing. Claire looked like she so badly wanted to come over and join them. She even looked like she was considering it.

And then the most surprising thing of all happened. Bender found himself panicking. The thought of her coming over to have lunch with them—with _him_—was something he hadn't prepared for. Or, more appropriately, _what that could mean_ was something he hadn't prepared for. Bender could deal if Claire was a total bitch to him and to the others, and if things never went further between the two of them. But if she came over to eat with them, that was making a statement. That meant being forced to deal with his feelings for Claire in a major way. It would mean that there could possibly be a public Bender and Claire, and then _that _would mean that Bender's worst fear would come true: getting a taste of a life that bums like him weren't supposed to have and _never _ended up with.

Bender had been told all his life that he was nothing. It angered him during the majority of the time when he didn't believe it, and saddened in him in the less common times when he _did _believe it. But he had always feared that a day would come when he'd get a chance to get up close and personal with another side of life, and he'd start to realize there was more to life than being poor, living in a smelly house, having shitty parents, and getting high with "friends" who were just wasteoids like him. And then one day, Bender knew, as quickly as that thing or person came into his life, it would be gone. And Bender's life would be even fucking worse than it had been before. Because he would have had a taste of all those things he'd watched other kids have that he didn't have.

Bender didn't think he was being a hypocrite at all. He'd meant everything he'd said while sitting on that floor on Saturday, and he still thought he could never be that shitty, for all his acting like an obnoxious jackass. But if Claire, queen of the fucking school, got involved with him and people knew about it, and then she grew tired of slumming or couldn't stand up to her friends shunning her for being with the school criminal… and if he had to go from enjoying something real with the Cherry—_his _Cherry, who by all indications had already done more with him than she'd done with any other boy just by kissing his neck—to being an alone bum again…_that _would just be the living fucking end.

So, Bender had gotten up from that table and gotten _the fuck out of there_ without really saying good bye to Brian and Klepto. Before Cherry could do something stupid. Before things got just a little too real. Sure, Bender was 99% sure she wouldn't ever actually do it, but he couldn't take that 1% chance.

So on Tuesday, he'd taken the lunch that Brian offered him in the hallway, and said, "Hey, Big Bri, thanks, man. I won't be in that shithole they call a cafeteria today, but don't think I don't appreciate this." Brian had started to say something, but instead he just nodded understandingly and walked off. Bender hadn't seen anyone else in the Club for the rest of the day.

On Wednesday he'd rolled his eyes at Sporto in the hallway, catching his eye after he almost walked into a wall from staring at Klepto, who'd been actually applying lipstick (even if it was black). Sporto had blushed when he saw Bender rolling his eyes, and when he saw the amusement on Bender's face, he laughed a little and whispered to Bender as he passed him, "Shut up, wasteoid!", trying to hide a grin.

Later that same day he'd been called to the school secretary's office. He couldn't imagine what he'd done now to make Vernon send for him—he'd been more than fairly low key this week so far. But when he got there the school secretary merely wanted to give him his lunch. She told him "a friend" had brought it by, saying he left it in their car this morning, and since the young man didn't have any classes with Bender he just wanted to make sure he got it.

_Leave it to dweebie to think of something so lame, _Bender thought as he took the lunch and left the front office. But he thought it was actually kind of cool of Brian that he not only still brought Bender lunch even though he'd definitely been avoiding even eye contact with him for the past two days, but he also seemed to understand that Bender sometimes needed his space to work out stuff in his head. Brian really was a smart dude.

By Thursday Bender, who had formally been Mr. "Fuck Everyone", found himself actually waking up in a good mood, and missing Klepto and dweebie. That was when he knew something was wrong. Not only had it only been two (going on three) days, but he didn't miss _anyone. Ever. _

When he got to school, that was the second time he realized something was wrong. Before he knew what was happening, his eyes were scanning the crowd for any member of the Club, especially Brian. It wasn't like he was going to go up to them and say anything; he was just curious to see if any of them were around.

He finally found Brian exiting the library. His natural instincts came out, and he shook his head in faux disgust, and said, "See? Neo maxi zoom dweebie." Brian smiled and laughed.

He reached into his bag and Bender realized Brian thought he was here to collect his lunch. Bender smacked his hand away. "Keep it. That is, if you have no aversions to coming out to the parking lot during lunch."

Brian was about to ask him why he'd have an aversion to a parking lot until he thought back to what Claire had said on Saturday about Bender taking him out to the parking lot to get high during lunch. And his eyes got big.

"Oh, um…I don't think…" and just as Brian was about to say no, he thought about all the pressure he'd been under to be the perfect little student, and about how while other kids were thinking about proms and school spirit and what parties to go to, all he ever thought about was math and college and how many hours of studying he could get in that day. Then he thought about how getting high with Claire and Bender in the back of the library was the most free he'd ever felt, and the most fun he'd ever had. At least the most fun he could remember ever having.

"Okay. See you at lunch." he said. This time, it was Bender with the wide look in his eyes while Brian looked amused. "Um, cool." Bender said, and walked off.

Brian couldn't believe that he had actually flustered John Bender.

At lunch that day Brian and Bender sat on top of Bender's friend Freddie's car. laughing and getting high. "I gotta say, Bri, I didn't think you'd have it in you to come out here with me."

"Why? I-I did…this.. with you and Claire on Saturday."

"Obviously, I _know_ that, dweebie. I assumed that was a one-time thing, in light of some _very _unique circumstances, for someone like you."

Brian giggled. "Someone like me? I thought we spent a good length of time on Saturday learning a very valuable lesson about stereotypes, Bender."

Bender pretended to be deep in thought. "Fair enough." He noticed that Brian wasn't quite as awkward, and didn't stumble over his words, when he was getting high. _Maybe that's why he wanted to do it again, _Bender thought.

"So, have you talked to anyone else this week?" Brian asked. "Not really," Bender responded, "what makes you think I have if I haven't even talked to _you_?"

And Brian blushed, because he didn't know if Bender meant he'd have talked to Brian first because he felt obligated to, since Brian was bringing him lunch, or if he meant he'd have talked to Brian before he would have any of the others because he felt closest to Brian.

Brian wanted to ask him about Claire (he and Andy and Allison were all curious about _that _situation) but he knew Bender would be sensitive on that subject. Before he could think of anything else to say, Bender asked, "Have you?"

"Just Allison. Yesterday she told me she might join me in the library for lunch today if she felt like it, but I saw her go into Dr. Hashimoto's office before lunch."

Bender swallowed. Damned if Brian wasn't making it very hard to keep up the scary wasteoid image. _Fuck. _He might have to make Brian pay for this one of these days, except that he really, really liked the dweebie. "She okay?" Bender asked simply.

"I think so. She seemed fine." Brian said. And then he added, "I did see Claire once outside of my Latin club, and she asked me the same thing about you. It looked like she was waiting for me."

_What the hell is this kid trying to do to me? Is he _trying _to make me some big softie? _Bender thought. Brian had purposely informed him that Claire Standish, little miss Queenie, had waited outside of the demented Latin club just to ask a dork about him, John Bender—the scary wasteoid. John had been trying so hard to view her in the same light he'd viewed her in on Saturday morning. While the others were all rooting for Claire to be a better person and all that, Bender—the one who liked her in a way that had him comparing her to other girls to see how she measured up—had been hoping she hadn't grown and would prove to be just a bitch. The alternative that he could really fall for her was much, much more serious and more potentially detrimental to his heart (he refused to even think of himself as ever being heartbroken).

But all he said was "Oh."

They sat in silence as they finished smoking until Bender said, "About that whole trig argument thing from Saturday. Because I know you'd never ask. The answer is yes. If you ever need shop help, I mean."

Brian smiled. "Thanks." Then, because he couldn't think of anything else to say he asked, "Does this," gesturing between them, "isn't it, like, outside of Allison's idea?"

Bender smirked. "No, dweebie. You could easily just be one of my customers. And, anyway, it doesn't count if no one can see us."

And then the bell rang.

On Friday, Brian was nowhere to be found. Bender had hoped to see him well before lunch to ask him something, but when he got called to the secretary's office again, he knew he probably wouldn't see Brian again that day. Part three of his realization that he didn't know who he was anymore: he was a little disappointed. About not hanging out with some dork.

He'd hoped to casually ask Brian if anyone had said anything about the next time the Breakfast Club would get together. But when he overheard some dork talking about some big emergency meeting of the physics club to prepare for some competition, he knew why Brian had left him lunch early in the day.

He did see Klepto that day. He was walking, deep in thought, to his last Friday class (a class he rarely went to) when he saw her at her locker. He didn't know how he found himself in front of her, just standing there and not saying a word. He hadn't even meant to stop there. It was like his feet and legs had a mind of their own.

Finally she turned to him. He choked out a "You okay?"

She looked right into his chocolate eyes with her own teary ones and whispered, "Yeah." Bender stood there staring at her for a few seconds longer and then he walked off.

All of this was on his mind as he sat alone in the library in detention—the first of the eight detentions he'd been assigned during _their _detention. How in the world did he find himself turning into such a weirdo? Who was he even, anymore? Or, at the very least, who was he becoming?

He was so deep in thought he didn't notice anyone else was in the library until they sat down next to him. He turned and found himself looking right into the smiling face of Andrew Clark.

"Fuck!" Bender yelled out, as Andy cracked up. "Do you _want _to get your ass kicked, Sporto? I don't think Klepto, or Mr. Clark, would like that very much."

"Screw you, Bender." Andy said, still laughing.

"What are you doing here?" Bender asked.

"I come with a message from Claire."

"Let me rephrase that. I meant, _how _did _you_ get past Dick?"

"Let's just say that Allison created a distraction."

Bender gave his best smile at that. "Intriguing." was all he said. Andy smiled, too.

"So?"

"Huh?"

Bender rolled his eyes. "The message, Sporto."

"Oh. We'll be waiting for you outside when you get out of detention. In the back of the school. We're going to get lunch at some pizza place outside the city."

"Touching." Bender said, hoping he sounded sarcastic, but knowing he didn't.

Andrew nodded. And then he was gone. Bender smiled to himself. So Cherry had organized this little get together. How the hell had she done it without talking to any of them throughout the entire week?


	7. Walkman

_"Music is my heart and soul, more precious than gold_  
_Turn on some music, I got my music"_

_-Music, Erick Sermon_

Claire's giggles could be heard before Bender even opened the door to the school's back parking lot. When Bender came out she was sitting on the steps next to Brian, who was making her laugh by doing spot on impressions of _Saturday Night Live _comedians. They both looked up when they heard the door open, and when they saw Bender making his exit they stood to let him by.

"I'm surprised Mr. and Mrs. Johnson let their baby angel boy stay up late enough to watch that show," Bender said in a snarky way, but with a smirk.

Brian grinned right back. "I'm surprised you'd even know that show. I-I thought you'd be out trashing the town at that time on Saturday nights, you know?"

Bender punched Brian in the shoulder, and he laughed when Brian tried to pretend it didn't hurt. Then he smiled at Claire, who blushed. "Cherry." He greeted. She smiled up at him. "Burnout." She teased. "Come on, let's go." she ordered. Brian and Bender followed her towards the parking lot.

Andrew and Allison were sitting inside of Andrew's pickup truck. "Sporto." Bender called out. Andrew nodded at him. Bender started to call out to Allison, but he noticed she had headphones on her ears and probably wouldn't be able to hear him.

"You guys ready?" Andrew called. "I'm starving!" Claire responded.

"What's the name of this place again?" Andy asked. "Del Rossi's," Claire responded, "I know the way. Why don't I drive?"

Andy turned a little red and stammered, "Um, we'll…we'll follow you there." Bender realized before Claire and Brian did that this was probably Andrew's first ever real chance to be alone with Allison. He rolled his eyes and winked at Andrew.

"Come on, Big Bri, you can ride with me in Cherry's BMW."

Brian nodded, and as he did he managed to catch Andrew sending a look of gratitude to Bender. Bender smirked back. As Brian followed him and Claire to Claire's car, he thought to himself _Great, I get to go from being the third wheel with one couple to being the third wheel with the more tumultuous couple._

But it didn't turn out to be so bad. As they drove off Bender said, "I can't _believe _I just played matchmaker for those two. I'm stuck with you two while they're probably going to play kissy face the whole way there. And to think, Cherry, I thought _you _were the one he was slipping the hot beef injection to."

That did it. Claire turned all kinds of red, and called Bender the most disgusting pervert she'd ever seen in her entire life. That just made Bender tease her more, and the two of them went back and forth until Brian realized they weren't arguing but were doing their own twisted version of flirting-without-actually-flirting right with him in the car. And after that it just became amusing to him. Brian didn't know much about dating and relationships, but he knew that with every insult and every word of banter between the two, for a unique couple like Claire and Bender, those words were how they called each other "honey" and "sweetie pie".

So when Bender said: "My, aren't we in full glory today? Fully made up lips, full princess attire," and Claire responded: "Yeah, too bad it's all wasted on a burnout like you," Brian knew they were really saying: "You look beautiful today," and "Thanks, I'm glad you like it, because it's all for you." Brian was no John Bender when it came to reading people, but he was _sure _of this.

He was so sure, in fact, that instead of intervening and changing the subject to something he knew would at least distract Bender, he let them bicker (_flirt) _all the way to the restaurant.

Andrew and Allison beat them to the restaurant. When Claire's car pulled up next to Andrew's, they could see that the two had their heads leaned in towards each other, and at first it looked like they were kissing. But getting out of the car revealed to Claire, Bender, and Brian that they were just looking at something in Allison's bag.

When Allison heard them exit Claire's BMW, she quickly stuffed whatever it was back into her bag, and jumped out of the truck. Andy did the same. Bender stayed behind with him as the others walked inside of Del Rossi's.

"So, Sporto, should you be thanking me or hitting me right now?"

Andrew practically giggled. "I'm not telling you anything, Bender. But, yeah, thanks, man." And that was about as far as the two of them were ready to go with the guy talk.

Once they'd all settled in at the table and put in their pizza orders, Bender asked, "So, Cherry, Sporto tells me you organized this little affair."

"Yeah." Claire replied, almost proud.

"But I was under the impression you hadn't spoken to any of us all week."

"That's not, like, entirely true." Claire said shyly. "Oh?" Bender asked.

"She came to my house on Monday." Allison blurted out. Claire nodded and said, "Yeah, I gave Alli a ride home. We talked then about maybe doing lunch today. I mean, I know we're supposed to be the _Breakfast _Club and not the _Lunch_ Club and all, but that's, like, going to be kind of difficult when one of the five of us is always in detention on Saturday mornings," she looked at Bender, "and another of the five of us has church every Sunday morning." She looked at Brian.

"I-I could…they wouldn't mind…maybe we'll do…an earlier service?" Brian babbled, unsure of himself.

Claire and Allison both looked shock. "You'd do that for us?" Allison spoke up.

"Yeah, well… Claire does have a point, and it's not exactly like Bender can reschedule detention. I could just ask my parents if we could start going to the early service; and tell them that way I can have more time to study after church."

"Is that all your parents think you do, is study?" Andrew asked, horrified. Brian nodded, embarrassed.

"No offense, Big Bri, but I'm beginning to wonder if you can really be that smart if you and your parents think you need to study that much. Shouldn't you need to study _less _if you're such a genius?" Bender questioned.

"It doesn't really matter to them how smart I am; they believe there's always room for improvement, or that if I don't study x amount of hours per week, I'll lose my smarts and become dumb, or something." Brian replied.

"That's actually sort of how this whole outing came to be. " Claire said. "I spoke with Brian outside of his Latin club and I ended up giving him my number so that he can call me if he ever feels overwhelmed or stressed out. No more guns, right, Brian?" Brian nodded, embarrassed.

So Brian hadn't told Bender _everything _Claire said when she waited for him outside of Latin club. If it had been anyone else but Brian, Bender would have been disappointed to discover that the encounter Brian had with Claire hadn't just been all about Bender as he'd originally thought. But since it _was _Brian, Bender was just glad that Claire had been there for him, since Bender wouldn't have ever thought of that himself.

"I had already exchanged numbers with Allison on Monday at her house, and I got Andrew's number in study hall, so I called everyone and set it up. That just left you." Claire said, looking at Bender.

"Which is how I found myself getting a phone call from a very pouty princess to go to detention to tell you all about it." Andrew added, smiling.

"Oh, he was glad to do it. I think he, like, missed you." Claire teased. They all laughed. Just then their pizzas were brought to the table. Allison was laughing so hard that she sort of bumped the waitress, who bumped into Allison's bag (which had been on the table) as she was setting the pizzas down. Some of Allison's stuff fell out of her bag, and Brian and Andrew went to help her gather it all. Just as Bender was about to look down and help, something caught his eye.

"Hey! That's my Walkman! I've been looking for it since yesterday afternoon. Screw you, Klepto!" Bender exclaimed.

Allison grinned devilishly and set the Walkman on the table. "Keep it," Bender said, "I've got a backup, and you've probably ruined that one forever for me by playing crappy music on it."

"What makes you think I listen to crappy music?" Allison challenged.

"Ok, fine. Impress me. What do you listen to?" Bender asked. "I like Prince. But mostly Pink Floyd." Allison said.

Bender rolled his eyes. "Could be worse. But not impressive."

"I also really like The Ramones." Allison added. Bender's eyes got wide. "No fucking way."

Allison nodded.

"Seen _Rock 'n' Roll High School_?" Bender asked.

"Five times." Allison replied.

"Eight for me. Favorite song?"

"Pinhead."

"Mine, too." Bender said matter-of-factly. "Okay, you can definitely keep the Walkman now. You've earned it. Use it in good taste."

Then he turned to Andrew, Claire, and Brian. "Okay, let's have it. I suspect at least one of you has atrocious taste in music. Let's see which one of you it is."

Andrew started. "I don't get much time to listen to music. If I'm not practicing, I'm doing schoolwork or sleeping. But I do listen to country sometimes in the car."

Bender looked at him with dead eyes. "I'd say we have a winner, but let's see if Cherry and Big Bri can do even worse."

Claire blushed. "I don't want to say. You'll definitely laugh at me."

"Spill it, Red."

"I like pop music, okay? I love Madonna."

Bender just smiled at her. "You are such an adorable cliché." He laughed, then turned to Brian.

"Um, I don't have a lot of time to listen to music, either, but… I like a lot of the Motown artists. Diana Ross, The Temptations, the Jacksons…"

Bender studied him for a bit then said, "That's…at least respectable. I really shouldn't be surprised that Klepto is the only one of you with decent taste."

"I like Aerosmith too." Allison contributed.

"So do I!" chimed in Andy excitedly. "I've seen them perform."

"Dream On is, like, possibly the best song I've ever heard. And Joe Perry is a major babe." Claire said, almost dreamily. Allison nodded slightly in agreement. Bender raised an eyebrow at that but remained silent.

"No way, Walk This Way is their best song. I tried to learn how to play that on guitar once. Before I quit." Brian chimed in.

"You played guitar?" Bender asked. "I tried," Brian replied, "and failed."

"I play guitar. A little." Allison said.

"I've been working on starting a band. Maybe you and I could rock out someday." Bender said, actually sounding enthusiastic. Allison retreated, squeaking a little.

"You're a musician?!" Claire blushed as she asked Bender. He nodded. "Guitar. And drums." Claire gave him such a look of admiration that Bender almost had to catch his breath.

"So, do you like Aerosmith, too Bender?" Andy asked.

"You kidding me, Sporto? I fucking love them. Next to Black Sabbath, which is the fucking best thing ever, they're my favorite band. But you tell anyone that and you die." Bender quipped.

"What's your favorite Aerosmith song?" Andy asked innocently.

Bender looked at them as if he wanted to melt into the floor. "Sweet Emotion." He mumbled.

No one else said anything. Brian just nodded. And then Claire looked at him dreamily. "That's a really good song, too." She said. And Bender smiled, coming to a realization.

"Well. I think I've found Cherry's weakness. Guys, it seems our little prom queen here has one of those bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold-rocker-musician-with-long-hair fantasies. "

Claire blushed and averted her eyes downward. "Shut up!" She said. Brian and Andrew laughed. "I do not!" she defended.

"Please. Joe Perry? And when I told you I play, and that Sweet Emotion was my favorite Aerosmith song, you practically melted. Face it, sweets. You've got a major thing for rockers with great hair and a soft emotional side." Bender argued, smirking. Claire turned even redder.

Brian took pity on her and changed the subject. "So, you know what this means? We've actually found something, other than crappy parents, that all five of us have in common."

The others looked around at each other and nodded in agreement. "I… I think maybe I could get us tickets to see them the next time they're in town. If you guys are interested." Allison said softly.

They all looked at her in confusion. "How?" Andrew and Brian asked at the same time. But Allison just blew on her hair.

"Who cares how? I'm in." Bender said.

"Yeah, that-that'd be awesome." Brian said. The thought of actually going to a concert- a concert with his four new friends—was the most exciting social prospect he'd ever had.

The five of them spent the rest of the meal comparing notes on music, particularly Aerosmith. Soon they had to leave because Andrew had to get ready for a meet, and Brian wanted to go get a head start on a project he was working on.

Andrew and Allison spent their car ride talking about what they wanted to do after high school, and in Claire's car, Bender gave Brian the front seat this time. He spent the car ride listening to Brian and Claire talk about some new activities regulations put in place for all school clubs.

Claire dropped Brian off first. Then she turned to Bender and asked him where she should drop him off. He swallowed. "Just take me back to the school. I can walk home from there."

Claire just looked at him. Bender could tell she was seeing right through him. "Ben- John…" she said. " I don't—"

He cut her off. "Just do it, Cherry. Please." Claire decided not to argue.

When they pulled into the school parking lot, Bender turned to look at her. "Thanks, Cherry. "

"Thanks for lunch. You didn't have to—"

This time, Bender shut her up with a kiss. He meant it to be a quick one. He didn't expect for Claire to react by pulling him closer to her and moaning into the kiss, deepening it. Then she ran her fingers through his hair. It was a long time before they came up for air.

When Bender finally caught his breath he said, "Is this all because of the whole musician thing?" He asking, giving her his best mischievous grin. She smiled back and shrugged. "Maybe." She answered.

"Wow. Then I can't imagine how you'd react if you saw me play. You might lose any and all appearance of being pristine, Cherry."

"Perv." She quipped back. And then she kissed him again.

As Bender walked home he was full of dreams of his Cherry looking up at him dreamily as he played a song for her. That was an image that would stick with him and would get him through the rest of his weekend.

He was happy to see, as he walked up to his home, that neither of his parents seemed to be home. Good. He could go right in and get a shower and a nap. Or so he thought.

The phone was already ringing when he walked inside. Bender ran to catch it before the person could hang up. "What?" he asked.

"Bender?" a voice said. It took a moment before Bender could place the voice as Andrew's.

"Sporto? How the hell did you get my number?"

"From Johnson. He said he snuck and got it when he was in the secretary's office."

_Leave it to dweebie, _Bender thought. Why the hell couldn't Brian just ask Bender for his number? Bender would have given it to him willingly. There was no need for the poor dork to risk getting in trouble.

"What's up?" Bender asked. Andrew sighed. "I did something stupid. I asked Allison out on our first real date. And now I have no clue what the hell I'm doing or where I could even take her. I need your help."


	8. Dating On Their Minds

_"If we dare expose our hearts _  
_Just to feel the purest parts _  
_That's when strange sensations start to grow"_

_-We Are Not Alone, Karla DeVito_

Andrew Clark didn't know what had come over him. He had been just fine enjoying Allison's company, so happy to be around her, and before he knew it, he'd asked her to go out with him on the following Friday night before he dropped her off at her house. He had been surprised when she gave him one of her beautiful thoughtful smirks and said, "Sure, Sporto. I'll…go out with you on Friday." And then she'd hopped out of his car.

And Andrew had spent his entire ride home in panic mode. It wasn't as if he'd just asked one of the shallow cheerleaders to go to a jock party with him, or to the movies with a bunch of the popular kids. Andrew was pretty sure that, unlike his ex-girlfriend Samantha and the rest of the cheerleaders, Allison wouldn't be okay with seeing one of his mindless action movies with little to no plot, and if the Captain Crunch experience was anything to go by, he had no idea where to take her if they wanted to get something to eat. So far, in the other two meals he'd had with her, she'd had a piece of turkey meat and an apple, and then two slices of pizza on from which she took off all the toppings, including the cheese, flipped over the slice, and ate it backwards. So he had no idea where he should take her to eat.

By the time he got home and went into his room, he knew he needed help if he wanted to keep the Breakfast Club from getting awkward, and if he wanted the first official date to lead to a second date.

Before he knew it, he picked up the phone and pulled out the list of phone numbers Claire had given him (which included hers, Allison's, and Brian's.) He quickly dialed Brian's number.

"Johnson residence." A harsh female voice answered. Andrew knew it had to be Brian's mom.

He cleared his throat. "Hi, Mrs. Johnson. This is Andrew Clark. I'm a friend of Brian's from school, and I … needed his help with a problem. I was wondering if he was around?"

There was silence for a second. And then Mrs. Johnson said, "Brian is studying, please don't keep him long." And after a few moments he heard Brian pick up the phone. "He-hello?"

"Johnson, it's Andrew."

"Hi, Andrew. How can I help?" Clearly Brian thought Andrew really was calling about some school problem.

"I.. I asked Allison to go out with me this Friday after school."

"Um…that's great, Andrew. Really great. I'm glad you two are getting closer."

"Yeah. Yeah, me too. But I…I almost wish I hadn't."

"Why?"

"Well, I don't know how to act around her in the mean time. I have no idea where to take her, what to talk about, how to act on a date with a girl like her, and I'm probably going to spend all week stressing about it."

"Well.. I don't know, she.. the kiss, and your patch…she seems to really like you."

"Well, I hope so, but I still wish I'd thought this through more before I asked her."

"What did you tell her you guys were going to do?"

"I didn't. I just asked her if she'd go out with me on Friday. Without any plan. Allison is the first person in my entire life who's ever encouraged me to do what I want to do. She's the one person who never makes me feel like I need to impress her, and in some weird way that just makes me want to impress her more."

"Oh. I get that."

"Yeah. Any advice? I thought about asking Claire, you know, since she's a girl, too. But she's the exact opposite of Allison."

"Well, I don't really have much experience in this area. I'm not sure how the whole dating thing is supposed to go. Plus I don't know Allison that well yet. But I think I know someone who does, someone who can help."

"Really? Who?"

"Bender can."

"Bender? No way."

"Well, yeah. I mean, he's the most like Allison. They're both creative, sort of rebellious, and both sort of dark. They seem to sort of like the same kind of music. I bet… I bet Bender knows some girls like Allison."

"I guess you have a point."

"Yeah, he might be able to give you some ideas about what Allison might like."

Andrew sounded uncertain. "…. I guess it couldn't hurt."

"I- I have his number if you want it. I sort of snuck and got it when I had to drop something off with the school secretary. If he can't help, maybe I could talk to Claire."

And that was how Andrew found himself dialing Bender's number, completely unsure of himself.

"What do you mean you _need my help, _Sporto?" Bender spit out, in shock.

"Do you have any ideas of where I should take her? I want her to enjoy herself. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable."

"Well, I can tell you right now the whole dinner and a movie routine is out."

Andrew smiled to himself. "Yeah, I kind of figured that."

"There's a coffee shop called Plague where I've seen girls like her hanging out. She might like to hang out there and listen to music. But I don't know, Sporto, from what I can tell the conversation there gets pretty deep. I don't know if your jock brain can handle anything like that."

Andrew said sarcastically, "Ha ha. You're one to talk, wasteoid."

"Point. I also know she's really into art. You could take her to the museum downtown. There's a restaurant nearby where you can go afterwards and talk about the art, or I don't know, play kissy face all night. "

"Shut it. Hey, how do you know about all this stuff? It doesn't exactly sound like your scene."

"Maybe I'm an enigma. Maybe I just know her type. Or maybe Allison and I just have more in common than you'd think."

"Yeah, that's what Johnson said...I'm just worried I won't fit in, and she'll think I'm some dopey airhead or something."

"Come on, Sporto, if Klepto had a problem with dopey airheads she wouldn't hang out with you to begin with."

"Nice, Bender."

"Here to help."

"Thanks, man." And they hung up.

On Sunday, Allison had a similar freak out. She woke up smiling at the prospect of having her first ever real date at the end of the week. With Andrew Clark of all people.

But then she realized the seriousness of the situation. She was going on a date with Andrew Clark. She still found it hard to believe that anything was developing between the two of them. Andrew had been so accepting of her as she was. She knew he'd been curious about her since they first met. Since before he asked her _what's your poison? _So far, he hadn't ignored her, and he also hadn't tried to force her into his world. He hadn't asked her to keep the makeover look that Claire had given her, and that made her realize he thought she was pretty just as she was. Even with the black shit and her hiding behind her bangs. He even told her he liked her Converse shoes.

Because he'd been so accepting of her as she was, and because he was trying so hard to prove that he could think for himself, Allison wanted to prove that she could meet him halfway and be semi-normal from time to time. She at least wanted to look nice for their first date. There was only one thing to do.

"Hello?" Claire answered her private line.

"Hi, Claire. It's Allison."

"Hi! How are you?"

"I'm fine. Are you busy?"

"I was just doing some homework. What's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to ask, in case I don't see you this week, if you could come over again on Thursday?"

"Sure. I have a student council meeting, but I can come by after that. Why Thursday?"

"I.. have a date with Andrew on Friday and I have no idea about getting ready for these kinds of things. I thought you could help me?"

Claire sounded so excited, it almost came out like a squeal. "That's so cool. Oh, Allison, you're already so pretty, and Andy _likes _you just the way you are, he likes that you're different, I can tell, but if you want me to help you, I totally will."

"Thanks, Claire. I'll see you then."

And so every member of The Breakfast Club found themselves with something different on their minds that Sunday. Allison wondered how the date would go, and how long it would be before Andrew stopped finding her weirdo behavior endearing and started finding it just plain weird. Andrew wondered how he would make it through the week knowing he had a date with Allison to look forward to at the end of it, and how he could make sure she continued to see him as more than just some jock. Claire was looking forward to having girl time with Allison, and spent the day trying to do her homework but distracted by visions of Bender playing the guitar, and then Bender playing the drums. Bender found himself practicing on his guitar more on that day than he normally did, and wondering what song Claire might like to hear him play. And Brian was just thrilled that someone had valued his opinion so much that they called him to ask for advice.

On Monday, Allison joined Brian in the library for lunch. "So are you excited about the date?" Brian asked innocently.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to be excited about these things. It's my first."

"I've never had one either." Brian said, happy to have someone to commiserate about this with.

"It's really weird to even think about. I never thought I'd be doing anything even remotely normal by high school standards."

Brian smiled. "Me neither. I never thought I'd be going out for pizza with the gang on a Saturday, or that I'd be hanging out with John Bender or talking on the phone with one of the popular girls."

"I don't know how long this will last. But it's nice to have people to talk to. People who understand. Claire's been so nice to me. I thought she was full of shit when she was talking about pressure in detention, but after hanging out with her last Monday at my house, I think she really does hate the popularity thing."

"Yeah, I get that. I thought she was conceited too, but now I just think Claire does what her friends say because she doesn't believe in herself." Brian agreed.

"If only Bender could understand that. Claire was worried that Bender is always going to be too hard on her, and that nothing she does or says will ever be good enough for him."

"For someone that's supposed to be the rebel, the criminal, he has pretty high moral standards for everyone. At least it seems that way." Brian thought out loud.

"That's what I like about him. He can pretend to be as big of a shit as he wants, but… he's a better person than all the real assholes at this school."

"Do you think they'll end up going out like you and Andrew?" Brian asked.

"I don't know. I don't see anything ever being high-school normal between those two."

"Yeah. Claire strikes me as the kind of girl who'd want all that romantic mushy stuff, and she's picked the one guy she'll never get to open up to her. Or, probably to anyone." Brian said thoughtfully.

But Brian was wrong about that. Bender did intend to open up. He did so the very next day, with the only person he'd ever considered getting personal with in a one-on-one setting: Brian himself.

Bender had invited Brian to come out with him again, saying, "Bring lunch to the parking lot today."

As they sat outside in a secluded corner, Bender passed the joint to Brian and said, "You know, normally I don't share my doobage with anyone."

"You did in detention." Brian responded. "Yeah, but that was a one-time thing. It's not like I'd do that on a regular basis with Cherry or Klepto or Sporto."

"So," Brian asked, "why are you sharing it with me?" Bender just looked him over. "Why are _you _smoking at all?"

Brian shrugged. "It seemed fun in detention. And it's cool to hang out with you."

Bender rolled his eyes. "You don't have to smoke to hang out with me, dweebie. I can smoke alone."

"So why do you share it with me?" Brian asked. This time Bender shrugged. "Dunno. You seem like you need it. And because you were fun to smoke with in detention. And because you've been cool bringing me lunch, and this is all I could think of to return the favor."

Brian just nodded at this. They sat and ate and smoked in silence.

Bender eventually said, "I've been working on writing a song."

Brian didn't know how to respond to this comment that came out of nowhere. "Really? Cool. What's it about?"

Bender shrugged. "I don't know. It's not really coming together. It's just a bunch of random words at this point."

"I know how that feels. I'm okay with writing and all, but not with…actual words.. saying anything meaningful." Brian shared. Bender smirked. "I've noticed."

Then he got serious again. "Claire kissed me the other day. After we dropped you off. I think she just got all hot and bothered because of the whole bad boy rocker thing. It was nice and all, but if that's all this is..."

He didn't have to finish. Brian knew he was vulnerable and serious, because he'd actually called her Claire. Brian commiserated, "I don't think so. Claire didn't seem to like you very much when we all first met, and I…I think if all she saw in you was the bad boy metal head thing, she would have continued to loathe you. You were already like that when she met you, and I could tell she found you attractive, but I don't think it was until you called her out on being a conceited bitch, and you showed some moral character, that she decided she actually liked you."

This was exactly what Bender needed to hear. But he didn't want to show it. "So Sporto and Klepto are going out on Friday."

"Yeah."

Bender reached for something to hold and squeezed it with his fist. "I guess Claire is going to expect me to take her on some cheesy date too. Maybe I should have asked her by now. Except that I don't normally have any fucking money and have _no fucking idea_ about all this stupid dating shit." And then he started throwing rocks as hard as he could.

If Brian hadn't been sure before how much Bender liked Claire, he was certain now that Bender was crazy about her.

Brian gulped and treaded carefully, "I don't think she cares about that. Claire likes you because you're different. She'd probably be happy to spend any time with you. I don't think it has to be a big deal date."

"She likes me because I'm a novelty in her world. Some rebel for her to crush on. Nothing stays a novelty."

"You were a novelty when she met you. She didn't like you then."

Bender seemed to cheer up the slightest bit. "Good point, Brainiac." And then he added, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You. Girls. Or guys, if you prefer?"

Brian shook his head. "No. I like girls… They just don't like me."

"No kidding. Why should they with confidence like that?"

Brian smiled weakly. "I'm serious. The girly girls and even the smart girls drool over guys like Andrew. And the other girls all drool over guys like you."

"That's not true. I happen to have known a lot of girls in my time that find brains very erotic and stimulating."

Brian blushed. "I find that hard to believe."

"Maybe the problem is that you're just going for the wrong girls. What kind of girls does a Brian Johnson type like?" Bender asked.

"I don't know. I've thought about it. I'd just like a girl who's smart, who's nice, and who is maybe a little bit fun and cool." Brian said whistfully.

"Define cool?" Bender pushed.

"Someone who's not as uptight as I am. Someone who's intelligent, but doesn't have her whole life wrapped up in it the way I do. Who actually has friends that do things like go out on the weekends and smile on occasion, and talk about things like music and tv and things other than science. Someone who doesn't care what other people think of her."

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard. There are girls like that all around. You just don't know how to approach them. What about physical?

"Um, well… I don't know. I guess it's all in the eyes and the smile. A lot of girls have fake smiles. I can tell if a girl's smile is genuine. I'm looking for the type that doesn't do fake smiles."

"I know what you mean," Bender said, almost angrily, thinking back to the girls Claire hung out with.

"And a girl with a cool fashion sense. Unique. Maybe not Allison's kind of unique, but close."

"See? There you go, Big Bri. Now that you've said it out loud, you know. All you have to do, is learn how to make your move when you see her."

"I've tried that."

"I doubt it. I'll bet you a million dollars that what you think is making a move is something that most girls would be oblivious to." Bender challenged. Brian just shrugged. But Bender knew he was right. He would have to keep an eye on his new buddy Brian. Maybe he could see what it was Brian was doing wrong, and help him out a little.


	9. The Note

_"I thought love was only true in fairy tales  
Meant for someone else but not for me  
Love was out to get me  
That's the way it seemed  
Disappointment haunted all my dreams  
__Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer_

_Not a trace of doubt in my mind_

_I'm in love, I'm a believer_  
_I couldn't leave her if I tried"_

_-I'm A Believer, The Monkees_

Bender had been about to put his plan into action immediately by following Brian to class and seeing how he interacted with people, but as they went back into the building, they were confronted by Andrew. He looked at Brian and said, "Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you." He seemed to only take notice of Bender at that moment, then looked from one to the other.

"Where are you guys coming from?" He asked suspiciously. "The parking lot." Bender answered, in a manner that challenged Andrew to question them further.

_Bender and Brian coming from the parking lot together? That was weird,_Andrew thought. But he decided to shake it off. "Can I talk to Brian alone?" He asked.

"Aw, come on, Sporto. You're gonna hurt my feelings. Anything you can say to Big Bri you can say to me." Bender pouted.

"Get lost, Bender." Andrew said. Bender rolled his eyes and walked off saying, "See ya, Bri."

Brian waved as he disappeared. Bender wasn't too offended; he had a good feeling his new buddy Brian would only tell him whatever it was later anyway.

"What's going on?" Brian asked Andrew. He wondered what could be so important that Andrew seemed completely oblivious to the fact that they were walking through the halls together.

"I have a totally huge favor to ask you. You know, about the date with Allison? I'm still totally freaking out. See, it occurred to me that it's been a really long time since I've been on a date alone with a girl, and never with a girl like Allison. Most of my dates have been big group things with most of the cheerleaders and other athletes. And I've never been this concerned about it going well."

Brian nodded, encouraging Andrew to go on. So far he wasn't telling Brian anything that he hadn't already guessed or been told about Andy anyway.

"So, what I was wondering was if you were doing anything on Friday evening."

Brian was still unsure of where this was going. "Um, no, well, I was supposed to go over to my friend Dell's house and watch a documentary, but I could probably get out of that. Why?"

Andrew took a deep breath. "If it's not too much to ask, could you, maybe, come _with _me and Allison when we go out?"

Brian couldn't believe what he was hearing. Andrew was asking him to join them on a private date? _Asking _him to be the third wheel? No way. "Um…I don't think that's such a good idea. You guys don't want me tagging along and I don't think Allison would like that very much."

"Brian, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't want you to." Andrew said sternly. Brian thought he almost sounded like Bender. "And Allison already knows. I mentioned it to her when we talked on the phone yesterday. She said it would be fine."

Brian still looked unsure. So Andrew stopped in his tracks and turned to look Brian directly in the eye. "Please. Brian. I need you to help me make sure it doesn't get awkward and I don't screw up. Allison might feel more comfortable if you were around. Just this one time? If it goes well I promise I won't ever ask you to do it again."

Brian smiled a little. Andrew needed him. It felt good to actually be needed for something other than homework. "Okay, sure." He said.

Andrew's eyes lit up at that. "Really? Thanks, man!" Brian smiled back. "No problem."

Just as Bender suspected, Brian told him about his conversation with Andy Thursday at lunch as they sat on top of Freddie's car.

"So, Andy asked me to hang out with him and Allison on Friday." He said as they ate. This made three days in a row that they had eaten lunch together, and they didn't even have to associate on school grounds, according to the Allison pact. But for Brian he much preferred the company of Bender to sitting in the library alone or eating in the cafeteria with his friends from honor classes discussing their college dreams and math, or even to the idea of sitting with Allison on the dreary football field (although lately she'd taken to spending her lunch period in the library with Brian when he wasn't with Bender, or working on her art in the art room). And for Bender he was beginning to look forward to his laid back lunches with Brian, as opposed to cliché conversation with the other burnouts, pretending to be higher than he actually was. If the lunches increased in frequency, should that really be such a big deal to him?

"On _Friday? Tomorrow? _As in the day of their _date?"_ Bender sounded appalled.

"Yeah, he wants me to help make sure the date goes smoothly, to keep things from getting awkward between them. Kind of like a buffer, I guess."

"Leave it to Jock Brain to use a dweebie as a dating buffer." Bender said casually. Brian smiled. "You know, I don't mind that you call me that. Dweebie. I could tell Claire that if you want. I know it's… just… you know, your way."

Bender gave Brian one of his dead-eye looks. "No, it's okay. The fact that she doesn't like me calling you that says a lot about her. Don't tell her I said that, either." Brian nodded.

Their normal relaxed silence followed, which Bender promptly broke by saying, "You shouldn't go if you don't want to, Bri. On the date, I mean. You can tell someone to go fuck themselves if you don't feel comfortable with something. Or I can do it for you. Tell people 'fuck you', I mean."

Brian thought that was nice, but he just shook his head. "I don't mind. I can understand being nervous about being alone with Allison if he really likes her. So I don't mind helping, since he's a friend…sort of."

Bender nodded, thoughtful. There was a long pause, and then he said, "I thought about the stuff you said. About Cherry. I was thinking about maybe trying to do something with her. This weekend. Alone. You know, since Sporto and Klepto are going out too. But I'd probably fuck that up, too."

Brian wondered what Bender meant by "too" but decided not to push that. "You should do it."

"What exactly am I supposed to do? Walk up to her and go, 'Hey, Queenie, I know there are lots of richies and pretty boy preppies around here, but I was wondering if this was some weird alternate universe where you might prefer to turn down whatever fancy restaurant and place they can offer you and spend your Saturday sitting out in the street with me doing nothing and listening to me belittle you and everything about your entire fucking world?'"

Brian rolled his eyes. Now he was beginning to understand. But he wasn't going to fall into the "poor Bender and his propensity to be a lowlife and sabotage himself" pity party trap. He simply said, "Why don't you just ask her to go with you to the arcade?"

Bender's eyes, instead of getting wide, squinted in on Brian, registering him. "The fucking _arcade? _What am I, twelve?"

Brian laughed a little. "Hear me out. She'd love that. She'll think it's a very cute, un-Bender like thing to do. It's simple, and cheap, and something neutral to both your worlds. _And…._" (and Brian knew he would win Bender over, here) "she probably doesn't know the first thing about those games. So you can show her. Like, physically, you know."

Bender smirked. "What the fuck is going on here? Brian Johnson, neo maxi zoom dweebie, giving John Bender girl advice? You're not as pathetic as you think, Bri." Brian just blushed.

As they got up to go back into the school, Bender asked, "What are you doing after school?"

Brian shrugged. "Studying." Bender shook his head. "No, you're not. You're coming to the record store with me."

"I am?" Brian asked, confused. "Yes, you are. Because Cherry and Klepto will be busy doing girl shit at Klepto's house before the stupid date, and Sporto has practice, so we might as well hang out. And because I'm going to expose you to the world of good music, and because if we're going to keep you from ever picking up another gun, you need more afternoons that don't involve putting more pressure on yourself." Bender said, trying to be light and casual, but obviously very serious and concerned.

Brian just nodded. He could have said that his parents would be expecting him. He could have said his mom would kill him for losing a whole afternoon of schoolwork. But Brian knew Bender was right, so he just said, "Okay."

Bender must have registered the thoughts behind Brian's look, because he said, "And another thing, Big Bri. Don't go changing and getting into any trouble for me, okay? This school doesn't need two John Benders, talking shit to parents and breaking into school records to get private information and such. You could have just asked for my phone number, dweebie, and if you don't want any trouble with your ma, you can just say no."

Now Brian understood. "No, it's cool." He said. "Good," Bender said, and was gone.

Since Bender knew where Allison's locker was, he spent his first class after lunch working on a note for Claire, planning to give it to Allison to give to Claire later that afternoon.

By the time he headed to Allison's locker, the note looked like this: _Princess, If even the Athlete has it in him to ask the Basket Case out, I should have the balls enough to ask you out, too, I guess. Is my rocker hotness and undeniable charm good enough to earn me a date with the pristine princess? Arcade Friday night? The Brain has my number if the answer's yes. –Criminal _

He nervously went up to Klepto at her locker. "Hey, Klepto. Can you… give this to Cherry when you see her, okay?" Allison looked up at Bender with a smirk like she had Bender's number, and had it good. Bender smirked back. "Shut up." He said. Allison took the note and Bender walked off.

Allison handed Claire the note as soon as she escorted Claire up to her bedroom when she arrived. Claire took it and looked at it tentatively. "What's this?' she asked.

"A note. From _John Bender." _Allison replied in a tone that was clearly meant to tease Claire. Claire turned red and her heart beat faster. John Bender had written her a note?

She put her purse down and sat next to Allison on the bed as she opened it and read it.

"A charming one, isn't he?" Allison joked. But Claire was so excited she wasn't paying any attention. John Bender—sexy, beautiful, hot, smart, dangerous, cocky, cool, charming John Bender was asking her out. To the arcade. It was beyond cute. Nevermind that she had never been there before; she was sure going there with Bender would make it the best date ever.

Breaking her out of her thoughts, Allison asked, "So are you going to go?" Claire turned to her. "Yeah, I am." In fact, Claire knew, she'd call Brian to get Bender's number as soon as she got home, and immediately tell Bender yes.

She stuffed the note in her purse, knowing she'd read it over and over again that night. "So, what kind of look are we going for?"

Allison blew on her hair. "I don't know. I don't want to look like anyone else. But I want to look normal. As normal as someone like me can look. Almost like I did after detention."

Claire smiled. "Got it," she said. "Normal, but totally Allison original. I can do that. Let's see what you have." Allison led her over to the closet, and the two girls spent the remainder of the afternoon in full blown girl talk.

Meanwhile Bender met Brian on the football field after school so they could head to the record store.

Bender immediately said, to get it out of the way, "So, I can't believe I did it, but I actually listened to you and asked Cherry about the fucking arcade thing."

"That's..um..cool, that's awesome. Um, what happened?"

"I don't know. I wrote a stupid fucking note. Gave it to Klepto. I don't even know if Klepto gave it to her, if she even read it yet."

"Oh."

"Anyway, if Queenie is interested, you'll be getting a call from her to get my number." Bender concluded. Brian noticed that he was back to calling her Queenie. Brian had picked up on the fact that Bender only called her that when he was upset over her or feeling insecure about her. But he just nodded.

When Brian next looked over at him as they walked, he saw a very un-Bender-like look on his friend's face. He knew not to push, and waited for Bender to speak. He finally did, stating sincerely, "Hey, Bri? I've been meaning to ask you. In detention when I was joking around about you saying you did it with Claire? I _was joking, _but only because I thought I was picking up on something."

Brian just nodded, and when Bender didn't continue he said, "You haven't asked me anything."

Finally Bender continued, "Picking up on something, as in I thought you had the hots for her. And it just occurred to me that I never asked you if you did or not. So I'm asking now."

Bender watched the minor freak out written all over Brian's face. "N-no, I would never… value my life and all…it's not..don't worry—"

Bender cut him off. "Value your life? Idiot, she's not my property. Will you stop thinking I'm going to beat you up, already? And even if she was mine, I _know _you would never, I know that dweebie. That's not what I'm _asking_. I'm _asking_ whether or not you currently have, or have had, the hots for her. Because if so I need to know. Before I proceed. So I can stop things right here. Between me and her, I mean."

Brian was sure he must not have completely understood what Bender was saying. Bender definitely wasn't saying that he wouldn't make a move on Claire if Brian liked her. He couldn't be saying that.

But Brian reassured him. "She's really pretty and all, but I never thought of her in any special way…like that. I'm not….pining for her or anything if that's what you mean."

Brian pretended not to see the visible relief on Bender's face.

Luckily, they reached the record store just then, because both boys were sure things would have gotten awkward otherwise. They walked inside and Bender immediately went to greet the employees there. Brian was too busy taking everything in. He'd never actually be inside a record store quite like this one. This was definitely more an Allison or Bender hangout spot than anything. When he turned back to Bender, Bender already had a Ramones record, and a Metallica record in his hand, and he was having a conversation with the girl behind the register.

Brian knew he'd seen her before. She definitely went to Shermer, but he couldn't quite recollect her. She was African-American, dark-skinned with shoulder-length jet black hair, short, and really pretty. Dressed in a really artistic outfit, she seemed like she was hanging on to Bender's every word, and Brian wasn't surprised by that. He had a feeling Bender had that effect on most girls.

He didn't want to interrupt, but when Bender caught his eye, he gestured for Brian to join them. "Consider this the start of your musical re-education." Bender said, showing him the records he had. "I'm not sure how you'll like the Metallica, but I've got a feeling, if you're half as cool as I think you are, you'll like The Ramones."

The girl behind the counter lit up at that. "Definitely, you can't not fall in love with The Ramones." She said. Brian looked at her and nodded and smiled. "Thanks, I'm sure I will." He said, shyly.

Bender made the introduction. "This is my friend Saidie. She's the only person I 'd ever trust when I come in here, and she has killer taste in music. I come here a lot." Bender explained.

"Yeah, he's here practically all the time." Saidie agreed. "Nice to meet you…"

"Brian. Brian Johnson." He even surprised himself. This was the first time he hadn't completely stumbled when speaking to a pretty girl for the first time.

"Saidie Heyer. You know, I've seen you before. You're in my Honors English class."

So that was why she'd looked familiar. "Oh, yeah! Right, I remember now. You always write the best essays and stories. Mrs. Prescott always reads them to the class." Brian remembered.

Saidie smiled. "Yeah," she said humbly. Bender's eyes had gotten big again. "You're in Honors English? Since when? I had no idea you were a brainiac, too, Saidie. You been hidin' that from me all this time? " Bender said.

Saidie tried to laugh it off. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd just see me as some brainiac, instead of your cool record store friend with the kickass taste." She joked.

Brian noticed she had a really nice smile. But he never thought too much about girls anymore. It had always proven hopeless for him.

Bender joked back, pretending to be hurt. "I'm disappointed, Saidie. You underestimate me. Brian here is a total brainiac, but he also happens to be very cool, and I never treat him as _just_ a dweebie."

Saidie looked back at Brian after Bender's words. "Yeah, he is cool. I haven't gotten to know him well, but what I've seen of him around school and in class, he seems pretty nice. And cool." She was talking to Bender, but she was looking at Brian the whole time. And suddenly Bender got a feeling. It was a strange feeling, one of familiarity. Something about Saidie at that exact moment reminded him of something else he'd recently seen. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew it would come to him at some point.

"Th-that's nice of you to say, Saidie, thanks!" Brian smiled. And then, in an act of pure courage on his part, he added, "maybe next time, you can give me some of your recommendations in addition to Bender's."

Saidie smiled back and said, "Sure!"

And that was that. Bender and Saidie went back to talking about music while Brian paid for his purchase, and then shortly after the two boys left.

They didn't say much of anything to each other as they walked home. Brian asked him about which songs were Bender's favorites on the albums he'd just bought, and Bender responded. But both boys had other things on their mind. Brian was thinking about how much he liked this new record store, and Bender was trying to process what he'd just seen, what that familiarity was about, and what it had meant.


	10. Date Night

_"He would never talk but he was not shy  
She was a street smart girl but she could not lie  
They were perfect for each other"  
_

_-Razorblade, The Strokes_

One would think that after all the things the five members of the Breakfast Club had said to each other in detention, there would be no reason for them to be nervous around each other. But every member of the group found themselves experiencing that nervous feeling in the pit of their stomachs as they went about their school routines that Friday. Allison was nervous about her very first date, Andy was nervous about making a good impression on Allison, Brian was nervous about being the third wheel, Claire was nervous about getting through her date with Bender that night without saying something to upset him or make him think she was a raging bitch, and Bender was nervous about getting through the evening without completely fucking it up with his own unique brand of self-sabotage.

They were all so nervous, in fact, that Friday at school was almost as if things were back to how they'd been before detention. None of them so much as even looked at each other if they did happen to pass in the halls. That would have just made any of them more nervous. And at lunch Allison retreated to her solitude on the football field, Brian ate with his honors friends in the cafeteria (to avoid Bender and Allison and _not, _he told himself, to look for Saidie to see where she sat), Claire decided to eat alone in her car to be alone with her thoughts, Bender went to the burnout wall to get as high as possible so he wouldn't have to think about Claire, and Andrew worked through lunch to study for a test he'd barely been able to study for last night, due to stressing out about his date with Allison.

Bender had found himself, though he'd never have admitted it, anxiously waiting for the phone to ring on Thursday night, and when it was almost 8 and he hadn't heard anything, he'd almost started to consider calling Brian to see if he'd heard from Claire. But just as he was debating this, the phone had finally rang. Bender kept a phone next to his bed so that if he were expecting a call he could always answer it before either of his parents could get to it. He answered it almost on the first ring. "What?" he said.

The person on the other end cleared their throat. "Is this Ben…John?" Bender knew right away that it was her. No other girl he knew would ever sound so nervous on the phone with him.

"Cherry?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hi." She said simply.

"Hey."

"Um, I got your note from Alli. Um, thanks…" Claire said, almost as a question. Bender just smirked.

"I've never been thanked for writing someone a note before. Come to think of it, I can't remember ever writing a note to someone before." He thought aloud.

Claire giggled. "Sorry, that was stupid." She said. "Um, I just wanted to say that I would really like to do that. Hang out with you tomorrow, I mean. So, um, yes."

Bender couldn't resist antagonizing her a little. "Really? You mean Little Miss Popular doesn't already have plans?"

"Well my friend Charlotte did invite me to go bowling with her and some of the rest of the group. I said no, but I can always tell her to count me in, if you want. There'll be plenty of jocks and pretty boys there, I'm sure." Claire challenged. Bender knew she'd gotten him.

"Please. As if anyone could prefer going bowling with the Future Asswipes of America to an evening in the company of John Bender." He said. After he said it, he thought maybe he shouldn't have, but Claire had just laughed, and said, "See you tomorrow night."

And that had been the last contact any of the group had had with each other prior to date night.

Andrew picked Allison up that evening, having agreed with Brian that he would meet them later.

She was dressed in a black rocker T-shirt, strategically tied and ripped in certain places to make the shirt look more feminine, and a blue skirt that was somewhat shorter than the one she'd worn in detention, but was still ruffled and loose. Her hair was pulled back the way Claire had done in detention, and she was wearing makeup-not the black shit or the stuff Claire had put on her, but blue eye shadow and pink lipstick. Andrew thought she looked absolutely gorgeous—a look that was all her own, but still really pretty.

He told her so when she got into his truck. She smiled, looking surprised. "Thanks!" she said. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd go to the art museum." Andy said sweetly, almost proud of himself.

But his smile faded when he noticed the scrutinizing way Allison was looking at him. "Why?" she asked, in the way she had that could make a person feel like an absolute idiot.

"Well, I thought it might be fun. And I know you like art. You could maybe teach me a thing or two."

"Or did you just want to go somewhere you knew we wouldn't run into any of your friends?" Allison practically spit out.

Andrew was shocked. He was beginning to think he'd made a huge mistake listening to Bender. "What? No! I just wanted to do something I knew you'd enjoy!"

"That conveniently happens to be on the outskirts of town, far away from anyone you know."

"Allison, it's not like that! I wasn't… trying to hide you or anything. I can't help it if the things you like are far out."

"I thought we'd be going to the movies or something."

"I considered that, but I didn't think you'd enjoy that."

Allison got that daring look in her eyes. "Because I'm a weirdo? Because I'm such a mess that you didn't think I could even enjoy a typical teenage movie night with you, Sporto?" It was clear that Andrew had hurt Allison's feelings without even having a clue or meaning to.

"Allison. I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. I just really wanted you to have fun. I've been thinking about tonight all week." Andrew said, almost whispering. Allison softened slightly at this.

"Why are you always so concerned with what everyone else will think? With trying to please everyone but yourself?" Allison asked him.

"I'm not. At least, I'm trying not to. Not anymore. You were right. It _is _a problem. But that's the thing. See, Allison, you're the first person who has given enough of a crap to actually ask me about what I want and to want me to please myself. Everyone else in my entire life has always only cared about what I can do for them. No one cares about what I want or think. So, because of that, because you're the only one that cares about what I want, I thought I'd do something nice for you. Is that so wrong?"

Allison looked close to tears again, and Andrew couldn't tell if this were her pitying look again, or a pure moment of connection between them.

Finally, Allison said "Okay" so softly Andrew almost couldn't hear her. And as Andrew finally pulled off, she added, "But next time, Sporto, we do something normal for teenagers. Becoming a _predictable_ weirdo would defeat the whole point of _being_ a weirdo." Andrew smiled. She was joking, but Andy knew what she meant.

Brian was waiting for them outside the art museum when they arrived. He smiled nervously, and Andrew realized, after the debacle in the car, just _how _grateful he was that Brian had agreed to tag along.

But the rest of their evening went off without any problems. Andy could see why Bender had suggested the place. Allison was certainly in her element. For someone who rarely said anything, Allison seemed to open up that night. She had a lot to say about all the paintings, and Brian and Andrew hung on her every word. It was fascinating to see this stuff, that would have been boring with anyone else, from her perspective.

There was one painting that spoke to all three of them. They stood in front of it a long time. It was one of those spiritual mother-and-child paintings, with the mother holding her child in her arms and looking down at it adoringly. They all knew they were thinking the same thing. It was almost as if they couldn't take their eyes off of it. Allison wondered what it would be like to be loved like that. Andrew wondered if his mom loved him, why she'd left and why she'd let his father treat him as a tool instead of a kid all these years. And Brian didn't even think his mother had it in her to look adoringly at him; everything she said to him was cold and academic.

Finally, Andrew tried to break the silence before he broke down the way he'd done in that library on Saturday. He joked, "It's a good thing Bender's not here to see this one. He'd probably try to knock it down." It was a horrible joke to make, but Allison and Brian smiled slightly and they all moved away from the painting.

At dinner, the three of them made sure to keep the mood light by catching up on their weeks. Andrew noticed that Brian asked Allison a lot of questions about art, and listened intently to the answers. That struck Andrew as weird; he'd never have pegged Brian as interested in art. But he listened just as intently, happy to keep Allison talking and smiling.

Brian left them alone for awhile, saying he was going to find a pay phone and apologize again to his friend Dell. But Andrew saw through that, knowing that Brian just wanted to give them time to themselves.

Andrew scooted closer to Allison. "I'm really glad we got to hang out tonight." He said shyly.

Allison smiled slightly. "Are you going to kiss me, Andrew?" she teased. Andy smiled back, but then said, "I think that's the first time you've called me Andrew."

Allison got quiet again and just squeaked. Then she shrugged. Andrew leaned over and kissed her. It was a very different kiss from their first one outside of the school after detention. That one had felt like goodbye. This one felt sweet, passionate, and like a real first date kiss ought to feel. Allison wondered if this was what normal girls, girls like Claire, got to feel like all the time.

Back inside town, Bender and Claire met at the arcade. Bender took one look at Claire, and his eyes got as wide as they did when she'd kissed him on the neck in the closet. "What did you do, Cherry?" He asked her.

Claire just smiled at him. She knew exactly what he was talking about. There was nothing pristine or prom queen-ish about the way Claire looked tonight. Her flaming red hair, usually perfectly styled and curly, was flatter and messier, in a very sultry way. Her lips bore really dark red lipstick, and to Bender they looked luscious. And she was wearing a short denim skirt, a Ramones tank top that she'd borrowed from Allison, and a leather jacket, matched with her black eye shadow. Bender had a feeling Claire didn't even own black shadow, at least not until very recently. She looked absolutely hot. And Bender knew this effort was all for him.

Claire shrugged. "Just trying something new." She said. Before he could stop himself, Bender had walked over to Claire, pushed her up against the wall, and kissed her. Hard.

"I guess that means you like it." Claire tried to joke, catching her breath, and covering her very red face.

Bender just smirked. "Let's go." He said.

Despite the fact that they were both out of place, they managed to enjoy themselves. Claire found it nice to have fun that wasn't at someone else's expense (the kind of fun she had with her friends), and Bender thought sometimes it was relaxing to not have to be such a tough badass with all his defenses up.

Brian was right about Claire not knowing anything about the games. Bender helped her as best he could and, just as Brian advised, he got to put his arms around Claire a few times. He could feel Claire getting hot and bothered, and Bender was thrilled to get that reaction out of her, in a way he never was with other girls.

When they'd had enough, they ordered burgers (which Claire insisted on paying for) and sat down in the café.

"I gotta say, Cherry, you look so hot I almost forgot I was out with a princess."

"So are you saying I don't normally look hot, _John?_"

"I'm saying normally you look….atrractive. Hot is different from good looking or attractive."

"How so?" Claire asked.

"If you're attractive, you're passable. It'll get you a few dates, But hot… hot is everything. It will _get _you everything. Hot is forever. If you're hot, even when you get older and your looks start to fade, the hotness is still there. Because it makes you eternally cool, and it never goes away."

"So, what are you? Are you hot, attractive, or something else?" Claire asked inquisitively.

There was that mischievous smirk again. "Why don't you tell me, Cherry?"

Claire rolled her eyes, smiling. "You're trying to trick me into telling you you're hot, and it's not going to work."

Bender smirked even harder. "You just did." He said. Claire threw a piece of bread at him.

Then she said, "I wonder how Andrew and Allison's date is going."

"Relax, Cherry. They're fine. Brian is there to make sure of it."

"What do you mean?"

"Brian. He's with Klepto and Sporto. Sporto asked him to go on the date with them? As a buffer? You knew this, right?" Bender asked.

Claire got a weird look on her face. "No! That is so not cool!"

"Um, Cherry? Is there a problem?"

"I don't like Brian being used like that. Andy didn't ask me, he didn't ask you. He asked Brian because he assumed Brian wouldn't have anything to do tonight. I mean, did he, like, ever stop to think how it would feel for Brian to be the third wheel on their date?"

"Brian didn't mind. I _told _him to tell Sporto to fuck off if he didn't want to do it."

Claire sighed. "I don't know. I just worry about him. People don't show him enough respect and I worry that any little thing could push him over the edge, and…..you know."

Bender knew that this was a load of crap. He'd spent more time with Brian than any of them, and he knew the last thing Brian was, was some fragile weakling.

"Cherry. He's not a child. He's not a fucking poor puppy dog who needs you protecting him."

Claire rolled her eyes. "How would you know? Everyone's not as macho and emotionally removed as you are. You don't care about Brian's feelings because you don't have any. Everything is all tough and hard with you. You wouldn't understand what it's like for me, or for Brian."

Bender felt like he'd been slapped in the face. After he'd put himself out there to ask her out, and after all the time he'd spent with Brian and said things to him that he wouldn't have even said in detention, for Claire to…to _attack _him like that and tell him he didn't have feelings? That was the living fucking end.

"You…you bitch. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. You don't know _shit _about me and you know even _less _about _Brian." _

Claire's face flushed, this time not with cute embarrassment, but with anger and hurt.

Bender took a deep breath. "Queenie, I think… I think we should just forget this conversation before…." He trailed off.

"Yeah." Claire said. And they sat in silence for a long time.

Finally Bender sighed and said, "Look, Cherry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Claire couldn't believe Bender was actually apologizing to her. She figured she should meet him halfway. "I'm sorry I said you didn't have feelings."

Bender nodded.

And that was really all they needed to say.

Before they knew it, Bender had Claire up against a wall again kissing her goodbye before they went their separate ways.

Brian Johnson woke up Saturday morning realizing that John Bender was perhaps the smartest person he'd ever met. He had told Brian that perhaps he'd been living his life all this time thinking he'd been trying to make things work with women, but he was coming to realize he'd never so much as asked a woman out. In fact, he wouldn't even know how to do it, if he wanted to.

And that was why he found himself sitting on the front steps of his school on another Saturday afternoon waiting for Bender to come out of detention.

Bender stopped short when he saw Brian, the source of his fight with Claire, sitting there. "Big Bri. What are you doing here?"

Brian smiled at him. "Hey, man." He said in an unusually cheery voice. Bender eyed him suspiciously. "What's with you?" he asked.

"Uh..nothing, just thought I'd come by and see how things went with Vernon."

"Peachy." Bender said, sarcastically.

They started to walk across the football field. "So,um… what are you up to the rest of the day?"

Again with the suspicious look. "Right now I'm going to smoke. Beyond that, I don't know."

"Okay. Can I come with you?" Brian asked.

"Fine, dweebie. Under the bleachers. In case Dick comes out."

And that's where they went.

While they smoked, Brian asked, "How was your date?"

"Picture our detention. You know. One minute we were arguing, the next we're all hot for each other?"

"Yeah?"

"That's about how last night was."

"Oh. Are you guys okay?" Brian asked, genuinely concerned.

"We're swell, dweebie." Then he said, "Hey, Big Bri, not that I mind the company or anything, but you wanna tell me why you're _really _here?"

"I..uh…. kinda… wanted to ask y-your advice on something."

"Okay. Shoot."

"How do you ask a girl out?"

Bender began to cough loudly, almost hacking. Brian patted him on the back until Bender shoved him off. "_What _did you just ask me, Big Bri?"

"It's stupid, I know."

"Since when have you decided to ask a girl out?" Bender asked.

"I…uh..h-haven't…that is, decided anything. I'm just asking about the general concept. I was just curious."

"Well, you can start by fucking not asking questions like that. There is no _way. _That shit only works on airheads, and other kinds of girls you don't want. The kind of girls you want, that are actually worth a shit? They see right through that shit. There are no games, no strategies. You say whatever the hell you want. She either says yes or no. If you plan it out, it's too rehearsed and phony, or you'll stumble over it."

Brian just nodded. "Well how can I tell if a girl is interested before I ask her out?"

"Well…if she smiles more than normal when you're around that's a pretty good fucking start. One thing I've learned, Big Bri, is that girls aren't like us. We're simple. We either like a girl or we don't. Girls aren't like that. Too many damn layers, too many variables. You can't break them down to a science, man. It won't work."

Brian just nodded again, more thoughtfully. Finally, when they were done smoking, Bender got up and said, "I'm getting out of here."

Brian got up to leave too.

As they walked off of the football field, Bender kept the conversation going. "Me and my friend Freddie are getting together later to work on some music with some other guys. Too bad you gave up playing the guitar, Big Bri, or you could join us."

Brian laughed at that. The thought of rocking out with John Bender was too funny to resist.

Bender kept talking. "Talk about getting girls, man, that's the way to do it. Most girls love musicians. It's one thing they have in common. Did you fucking _see _the way the Princess looked at me when all I did was _mention _I play the guitar—''

Bender cut himself off because that was when it hit him. _Of course. _That look. That look that Claire had on her face when she found out Bender was a musician. That look of pure lust and adoration and admiration. It was the same look Saidie had had on her face when she talked to Bender about Brian on Thursday. _That _was why everything about Saidie at that time had reminded him of something—it reminded him of his Cherry. Saidie had looked exactly the way Claire did at the pizza place. Like she was wrapped up in adoring something….or _someone._

Bender smirked to himself. He didn't know what to do with his current thoughts, but he felt it appropriate to ask, "Hey, Big Bri, how about another trip to the record store?"


	11. Non-Virgin

_"At times it's not that complicated_  
_Anything to forget everything"_

_-Razorblade, The Strokes_

Claire woke up on Saturday morning, for the second time since the Monday after detention, in a state of confusion. Her head was full of thoughts of John Bender and how much fun she'd had with him on last night. She remembered how it felt when he kissed her after they'd fought. And she remembered thinking that if this was what it felt like to have an angry make out session with John Bender, then she would have to remember to make him mad every time she saw him. She also remembered the way his chocolate drop eyes got sad when it was really time for her to leave, and how she had started to think that maybe—just maybe—John Bender (he might even be _her _John Bender) was not just an angry, tough, wasteoid on the brink of manhood; but was actually a lonely, troubled boy forced to grow up too soon because of his circumstances.

And then there was the part of her that for the first time ever had mixed emotions about meeting her friends for their monthly manicure/pedicure/makeup/gossip sessions. On the one hand, Claire was a true girly girl and knew she needed to be around other girls right now to commiserate. But on the other, she knew she couldn't talk about John Bender to Erica, Charlotte, and Annabelle, and it was killing her to not be able to talk about him. So when Erica called to ask what time Claire was coming to get her and went on and on about her date with Martin Lansing, one of the cutest but jerkiest guys in the school, all Claire wanted to do was tell Erica about the obviously much better date she'd had with the hottest, sweetest, funniest, and coolest guy she'd ever met. But she didn't. What came out of her mouth, without her even planning it, was a cough and the words, "Erica I'm not going to make it today. I'm not feeling well."

When she hung up the phone, and found herself picking it back up to dial Allison's number, she realized that that had been the second time she'd faked a cough because of John Bender.

"Allison? This is Claire. I was wondering if you wanted to get together today. I thought you might like someone to talk to about your date last night, and I know I could use someone to talk to about mine. I could bring over some stuff to your house, and we could talk, and I'll give you a manicure and pedicure. It can even be black if you want."

And that was how she found herself skipping out on Erica, Charlotte and Annabelle for the first time, and instead making plans to spend a girly Saturday afternoon with none other than Allison Reynolds, the basket case.

Bender had a lot of thinking to do in the time it took him and Brian to walk from the school to the record store. He had come to the realization that his sweet, weird friend Saidie definitely was showing all the classic signs of someone who had the hots for old Brian the dweebie. Now, he just needed to confirm it.

And he also needed to find out if it was possible that Brian might be interested in Saidie too. This was a bit trickier. Bender knew that the one good thing about being raised the way he was, was the fact that he was used to being around all kinds of people and because he was so used to being judged and dismissed, he knew not to do that to anyone else. But not everyone had that point of view. And while he knew that his new friend Brian was probably not even close to being a racist, dating someone different, with all that that implied, was a totally different story.

While Brian talked away about his latest physics competition, and how great he thought it was that Claire and Bender were still at least trying to make a go of things, Bender spent the walk observing Brian. He knew what it was about himself that had put that look on Claire's face; now he just needed to know what it was about Brian that put that look on Saidie's face (that is, if he was right about what he'd seen.)

Okay, so he remembered hearing Saidie, his sort of short friend, mention once that she had a thing for tall guys, and Brian was definitely tall and seemed to be growing almost by the minute. He had a horrible sense of style, but it seemed to work for him. Saidie was a unique dresser herself, and maybe she liked Brian's uniquely dorky look. Bender was always hearing the girls he knew (girls he was "considering" and thought of as somewhat friends)talk about how attractive guys with nice blue eyes were. Brian had those. And if Bender's past encounters with guys that Saidie had dated were any indication, Brian's dimply grin was probably what she most liked about him. It was a trait that almost every guy she dated had, if Bender really thought about it. And it probably didn't hurt that they were both brainiacs. Yep, the more Bender thought about it, the more it made perfect sense that Saidie would be attracted to the Brain.

And then he thought about how Brian had described the girl for him. Someone really intelligent. Obviously Saidie. Someone who knew how to have fun. Saidie always made Bender laugh with her positive energy, and given that she was the only girl Bender hung out with (besides Allison) that he didn't want to sleep with, because all he needed was her company, Bender would definitely say Saidie was fun. Someone who had a nice smile. Well, on that one Bender couldn't be sure. He definitely thought Saidie was attractive, and the fact that he couldn't help but smile when Saidie did—that was something, but who knew what _dweebie_ thought constituted a nice smile. And someone who had a unique fashion sense. Well, that Saidie had for sure. No other girl, black or white, dressed like her. She wasn't quite as weird as Allison, but she definitely didn't follow trends.

The more Bender thought about it, the more he realized that Saidie and Brian were perfect for each other. And while he normally wasn't one to get involved in other people's affairs, he really wanted to help his friend out.

Claire and Allison were trying on each other's clothes and giggling together. Claire had asked Allison what Andrew thought of her outfit, and she'd responded, "He looked at me like a starving man," with a devilish smirk, and it was all Claire could manage not to spit out her Coke. "Well, that's definitely not a bad reaction." She giggled.

"How did Bender like your new look?" Allison asked. Claire smiled to herself, remembering. "Well… he backed me up against a wall and basically attacked me with his mouth, so I think it's safe to say he, like, really liked it."

Allison laughed. "Claire Standish, coming on over to the dark side. One step on your journey toward becoming a non-virgin."

Claire threw a pillow at her. "Were you telling the truth when you said you'd never done it?"

Allison nodded. "Mostly because I always thought I'd be bad at it or something."

"I hear it really hurts." Claire said.

Allison smirked. "Would you be surprised at all if I told you I have a pretty high threshold for physical pain?"

Claire shook her head. "You? No way!" She smiled.

Then Allison got down to business. "So when do you think you guys will go out again? _Do _you think you guys will go out again?"

Claire sighed. "I don't know. I'd definitely like to. But you know Bender. He has to take two steps backwards for every step he takes forward. The fact that we went out and had a good time would mean that he has to spend the next two weeks treating me like shit just so I won't think he likes me too much."

Allison nodded thoughtfully and smiled. "That sounds about right for Bender."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter right now anyway, because we came to an agreement. See, we got into this…thing about Brian going out with you guys and it turned into a monster deal and it almost ruined our date. So we agreed to take it slow until Brian finds a girl, so he won't feel left out and he won't have to be a third wheel and so I won't have to worry about him so much. "

"Well. That's uncharacteristically….thoughtful of him."

"It was kind of my idea. So we won't argue so much. Yeah. So I don't know if we'll be going out anytime soon unless Brian finds someone. He was kind of quick to agree to it, so I think he was on the verge of saying the same thing. It would be just like him to look for any excuse to pull back from me. Anyway, how was your date?"

"Same. We had a little argument. But it ended up well. We're going out again sometime during the week, I think. It's kind of weird. I don't know if he's sort of my boyfriend now or not."

"You have a patch off of his letterman jacket. I think the whole boyfriend thing has already been established." Claire said, all smiles.

And the girls fell into another fit of laughter, brought on by their happiness at having each other to talk to.


	12. Googly Eyes

_"Drop your guard, you don't have to be smart all of the time_  
_I've got a mind full of blanks, I need to go somewhere new fast"_

_-11th Dimension, Julian Casablancas_

Brian was nervous beyond belief as he followed Bender to the record store. On the one hand, he definitely knew he wouldn't mind seeing Saidie again, but on the other he almost hoped Saidie wasn't working today, so that he could avoid embarrassing himself in front of both her and Bender. But he was smart enough to know Bender wouldn't be going there if he didn't know for sure Saidie was working today.

And sure enough, as they walked inside, there she was. Wearing a full cover black dress that squeezed tight from her wrists all the way down to her shoes; it was the weirdest thing Bender and Brian had ever seen, but she looked great. She looked up from the records she was organizing as they walked in, and smiled when she saw them.

"Well! Looks like you actually found someone other than me or Freddie who can stand to be around you for more than one day, Bender." Saidie said, smiling wide. Bender pretended to be offended and gave a sarcastic scoff. Saidie turned to Brian and smiled. "Hey, Brian," she greeted him.

Unable to speak, Brian just waved and smiled at her. He secretly scolded himself to get it together.

"Where's Freddie? I haven't seen him around lately." Saidie asked, turning back to Bender.

"Not sure. He's had a lot going on, with trying to get his grades up so he can graduate and all." Bender said, not being completely honest. The truth was, Freddie, who was two years older than Bender, made decent grades. But Bender couldn't very well say that he wasn't all that sure what his closest friend had been up to lately because he'd been spending so much time with Brian instead. He'd have to make more of an effort to include Freddie. Maybe he'd crash at Freddie's place tonight. His parents let him turn their basement into his own private apartment. Bender didn't want Freddie, the only one he could count on before detention, to feel totally abandoned.

Saidie just nodded, and Bender hoped one of them could change the subject quickly, before Brian got the wrong idea that Saidie was interested in Freddie. Saidie had confided in him once that she'd had a crush on Freddie, but that she could never do anything about it because it would put her friendship with both him and Bender in jeopardy, as well as knowing her parents would never have accepted someone like Freddie ( a slacker with barely passable grades) as her boyfriend.

But when Bender came out of his thoughts, he realized he had nothing to worry about, as Saidie was already trying to engage Brian in conversation. Bender smirked. He had always admired how friendly Saidie was, and it was a good thing too, because knowing how shy and awkward Brian was, if anything was going to happen between them she would definitely have to take the lead. Bender moved closer to hear what they were saying.

"So, Brian, how are you liking the Metallica record and The Ramones?" Saidie was asking.

"They're really awesome. It's.. it's different from what I'm used to listening to. But I've been listening to them every day. That kind of music helps me relax."

Anyone else would have thought this was a weird thing to say, but Saidie just laughed. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone else say that rock music helps them relax. That's kind of cool." She said. Brian smiled. Then she asked, "So, what kind of music were you listening to before?"

And Bender stiffened. _Oh, shit. For the love of God, please don't answer that, dweebie. She'll either think you're being patronizing or she'll think you're weird. _Bender thought to himself.

But of course, Brian had no idea of any of this. He answered, as honestly as Bender would have expected Brian to answer, "I'm a big Motown fan. My parents and their friends listened to a lot of that music and it kind of grew on me. I have a pretty decent collection of Motown records."

_Crap_. Bender thought about how for once it was a shame that he didn't believe in any of that stuff about how people could become so close that they could practically read each other's minds, and if he did believe in it, what a shame it was that he and Brian weren't there yet.

But there was no need. Saidie's eye got all bright and she smiled even wider. "Cool! Same for me! I absolutely love The Temptations."

Bender could see Brian relax a little. He smiled that dimply grin of his. "Me, too. I used to sing along to their songs with my little sister Emma. It sounds silly, but those were fun times. Before she got involved with sports and before I got all busy with advanced classes and everything."

And there it was. There was that look of admiration on Saidie's face again. After having seen Claire look at him like that, Bender knew he'd forever recognize that look anywhere. But Brian seemed oblivious. He was looking down at the ground and blushing. And Saidie looked as if she could melt right into the floor, googly eyes and all.

Bender rolled his eyes and joined the conversation. "So, Saidie. What do you suggest Big Bri here try next?"

And that took the pressure off of Brian. But maybe a little too much. Saidie turned her attention back to Bender for the next 20 minutes as they got lost in the world of music. When they finally decided on a Pink Floyd record (Bender saying, "You're kind of weird, Bri. So maybe you'll like it as much as Klepto."), they headed up to the front of the store for checkout, and Bender looked over at Brian, waiting for him to say something—_anything_—that would let Bender (and Saidie) know for sure if he was interested or not.

But Brian didn't look as happy as he'd looked earlier. And he seemed very demure, which Bender wasn't used to seeing from him at all. He wondered what was going on inside the dweebie's head.

Since Brian wasn't letting on about anything, Bender tried to use his eyes to throw hints to Brian, and gestured with his head. But Brian didn't seem to notice.

Saidie was taking her sweet time ringing Brian up, and Bender noticed this. "So, you know, Saidie, why don't I get one, too? That way I'll know what Brian is talking about when he and I discuss the record during lunch this week. At school. Where we eat lunch together. Outside."

_Ask her to join us for lunch. _Bender thought, trying to will Brian to pick up the hints he was laying out. But he didn't. Saidie got Bender a copy as well, which he knew he'd probably never listen to. And then Brian headed towards the door.

Bender said his goodbye to Saidie, who looked either confused or disappointed, and Brian finally looked up long enough to wave to Saidie. The two boys left the store.

Brian was walking really fast, and Bender ran to catch up with him. "Yo! Dweebie! What the hell was that?" he asked.

Brian shrugged, still looking down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bull_shit." _Bender said firmly. "One minute you two brainiacs were hitting it off, and then all of a sudden you're like every other dork who thinks girls are an alien species. What the hell?"

Brian just shrugged again. Bender jumped in front of Brian and stopped, forcing Brian to stop walking. "Big Bri. Talk to me. What do you think of Saidie?"

Brian squirmed where he stood, and blushed something awful, and that told Bender all he needed to know. "You like her. You want to play kissy face with her. I suspected as much."

"S-she's cute. And nice."

"Screw that, Big Bri. She's a babe. And cool as hell. _And _she really likes you."

"No, she doesn't."

"Yes, she does."

"Girls like that don't like guys like me."

"Are you fucking kidding me? The girl looked like she might faint. Like she was looking at a fucking rock star or something."

"That's because of you."

"_What?!" _They had started to walk again, but Bender stopped short at this. "What the hell are you talking about, dweebie?"

"She was hanging on your every word. I noticed that last time we were there. And she seemed more interested in talking to you than talking to me."

Bender chuckled. "You think Saidie has a thing for me? Idiot, we're _friends. _She's like one of my only friends. Do you know how many people know about my dad? Freddie knows. He's given me a place to stay plenty of times. You and Klepto and Cherry and Sporto know. And Saidie knows. Fucking Saidie. Do you know how many female friends I have that I haven't slept with or am not interested in? Fucking two. Klepto and Saidie. Saidie is like a sister to me."

"But that doesn't mean she doesn't see you as something more." Brian retorted.

Bender kicked a rock. "Shut up, dweebie. You're pretty fucking stupid for a brainiac, you know that? Let me tell you something about Saidie. Her mother is a judge and her father is a minister. They approve of her friendship with me, because they think she's taken me under her wing or something and that she's doing good in the community by condescending to be friends with me. But they would never, _ever _approve of us being anything more than friends. And Saidie would never go against them. And in her case, she shouldn't. She's fucking awesome and deserves better than me."

Brian looked down at himself. "Then her parents probably wouldn't approve of me, either."

"Wrong again, Shit for Brains. Aside from them, and you, being all religious, and therefore far from racist, do you not recall me telling you you're a parent's wet dream? They would love you. Anyone's parents would. And before you say that she's not into you, let me remind you that I have lots of experience in this area, while you have, I'm guessing zero. I saw the way she looked at you. It was the same way Cherry looked when she was talking about Joe Perry. Furthermore, I've seen Saidie date white dudes before. _And, _dweebie… do you know what her type is? Tall, smart guys with dimples and a nice smile. I've seen her date dorks like you before."

"Really?"

"_Yes, _dweebie. That's what I keep trying to tell you."

"You really think she likes me?"

"I knew it the second she got that stupid googly eyed look on her face the way girls like Cherry do. I've never even seen Saidie look at a guy like that before. And I've known her since middle school. It's not like her. "

Brian finally smiled again. "So, Bender, what do you think I should do?"

Bender smirked back. "Dork, I don't think this is a job that even I can handle solo. This calls for something I've always thought was stupid and pointless: some good old traditional male bonding. You and me and Sporto will all have to get together if you're ever gonna have any hope of getting enough of a clue to deserve a girl like Saidie." He put his arm around Brian teasingly, and they both laughed.


	13. Guys' Night Out

_"Whenever I got lonely, or needed some advice_  
_He gave me his shoulder, his words were very nice"_

_-Love of My Life, Erykah Badu_

As Andrew waited for Brian to come out of his house, he looked at himself in the rearview mirror and wondered if Allison would have been disappointed in him if she could see him now. He had chosen his clothes carefully for that evening, unsure of himself and wanting to fit in where he was going. He'd finally decided on his oldest pair of jeans and an old black sweatshirt—one of the few he owned that didn't let the world know that he was a jock. He felt he looked a little more country, than tough (which had been the look he was going for), but it had been the best he could do, especially under such short notice.

Because tonight he wasn't sure what he was in for. Returning home Saturday afternoon after going for a run, he'd found a message from one of his brothers on a notepad. The message said some guy named Bender had called about going out that night. Andy had immediately returned Bender's call.

"What?" Bender said when he answered the phone, and Andy could hear him playing his guitar in the background.

"Bender, it's Clark. I got your message."

"Hey, Sporto. Yeah, Johnson needs our help. We're gonna have a guys' night out and all that bullshit."

And Bender had invited Andy to meet him at some grimy hole-in-the-wall restaurant in town. Andy had heard of the place. From what he knew of it, it was one of the places the metal heads from school hung out; a place that basically tried to be the equivalent of a bar for teens, who often snuck in their own beer. Andy was surprised by Bender's selection. He had just started to think that Claire's inclusion of Bender in the heavy metal vomit party crowd may not have been so accurate. But if this hangout of his was any indication, she may have been right after all.

So that was why Andrew found himself sitting outside Brian Johnson's house on Saturday night: to give him a ride to Bender's hangout. Andrew had to admit that he admired Bender for really being the first one of the Breakfast Club to invite any of the others into his world. Because that was really what Bender was doing tonight.

When Brian came out of his house, Andy was surprised to see Brian not in khakis for the first time since they'd met. He was actually dressed in black denim and a simple white T-shirt and light black jacket. He looked almost normal.

Brian noticed the look on Andy's face when he got in the car. He smiled. "Bender made me go shopping." he said by way of explanation.

Andy smiled back. That was about right. Bender didn't really ask for things; he either did them himself or demanded them.

As they pulled off and headed down the road, Andy asked, "So what's this all about? The whole guys' night out thing doesn't really strike me as Bender's scene."

Brian smiled and nodded. "I'm not supposed to tell you. On pain of death. Bender said he wants to tell you about it."

And sure enough he did. Bender, for once, was already there when they arrived. He was sitting in a booth with some other guy Andrew remembered having seen him with once before. Bender smirked when he saw Andy and Brian coming. The guy with him smiled and waved at them. "Brian! Welcome to the lion's den," he said.

Brian smiled back. "Hey, Freddie." He said. Bender then made the introductions. "Freddie, that's Andrew Clark. Known to me as Sporto. Sporto, this is the coolest asshole you'll ever meet, Freddie."

Andy greeted Freddie, wondering how Brian knew this friend of Bender's. From his perspective, there had been a lot of weird stuff going on between Bender and Johnson lately.

Andy was brought out of this thought by the sound of Bender slurping on a beer. "Anyone want?" Freddie asked, showing some beers in his backpack. Brian shook his head, mumbling, "not now." Andy hesitated for a second and then nodded. Freddie handed him a beer.

"So…." Bender started. Then he stopped. After a few seconds he started again. "So… this is weird. Never would have thought me and Freddie would be sitting here with a Jock Brain and a…well, an actual Brain."

"Wonders never cease, right?" Brian muttered.

Bender looked Brian over. "No kidding, dweebie. Look at you, all normal." He smiled at Brian. Brian smiled back, with a very familiar Bender-like smirk on his face.

"So, get this, Sporto. Big Bri here has a bit of a…crush." Bender said in a voice that was almost laughing.

Andy smiled and laughed a little. "No kidding?"

"Well…Bender took me to the record store where he hangs out and there was this girl from my English class there…" Brian explained.

"Saidie. She's a friend of ours," Freddie said, pointing to himself and Bender.

"And she's fucking cool and she's fucking crushing on Big Bri hard, I can tell by the way she looked at him. Unfortunately, dweebie here has no fucking clue about women, and he's definitely not ready to try to…woo a girl like Saidie." Bender said.

"Ah," Andy smiled, "now I'm starting to understand what this whole guys' night out is all about. Girls are…tricky."

"Well, said, Sporto." Bender retorted.

"I don't know what to do." Brian muttered.

"Listen, Johnson, it's really not as hard as you think. It's all about confidence." Andy encouraged.

Freddie and Bender started laughing. Andy raised his eyebrows, feeling sort of offended.

"Nice, Sporto. Way to prove you're an idiot." Bender said between laughs.

"What? What'd I say?" Andy asked, confused.

"Dude, that whole 'girls like confidence' thing is a bunch of crap. But guys like you buy it. All it does is help them weed out the meatheads and posers. Real chicks, the ones who have half a brain, to them confidence easily translates to cockiness. And girls _hate _cocky." Freddie said, glancing back and forth between Andy and Brian as he spoke.

Bender nodded. "And Saidie hates cocky even more than most girls. That would _never_ work with her, dweebie. Let me tell you something _else _about her. It's a great thing but it'll also freak you out a little. Saidie is the exact opposite of any and every girl you'll ever meet. She hates cool guys, loves awkwardness, and finds shyness and quirkiness…well, to use her word, a word that I would _never ever _use….'adorable'."

This time Freddie nodded.

"Wait, wait, wait a second. You guys are trying to tell me girls _don't _like confidence?" Andy asked, confused again.

Bender rolled his eyes. "Let me put it to you this way, Sporto. Would you say you were 'confident' when you came into detention on that Saturday?"

Andrew's eyes drooped a little. "Um, sorta. At least, I thought I was. Okay, I was probably pretending to be."

"Correct. And did Klepto have any interest in you?"

Andy shook his head.

"What did she do, Sporto?"

Andy sighed. "She would barely even talk to me. She mostly ignored me and gave me dirty looks. And not the good kind of dirty."

"Uh-huh," Bender continued, "and what happened _after _we talked about why we were in detention? After you showed what, to a girl's mind, would be considered a little bit of vulnerability? "

Andrew smiled at this. "She let me kiss her."

Bender nodded and looked knowingly at Andrew. "Bingo."

Andy shook his head, defeated. "My mind is blown." He said.

Brian nodded. "All this time I thought girls didn't like me because I wasn't confident enough."

Bender shook his head, too. "No, girls don't like you because you're a dweebie who likes the wrong ones. Answer me this, Bri. For all the crap you told me about what kind of girls you like, I bet in reality you've spent your entire freshman year so far oogling Cherry's ditzy friends. Now tell me I'm wrong."

But Brian couldn't.

"I thought so," Bender continued, "and that's even though you _knew _girls like that end up with sportos and meatheads. And even though you _knew _that even if those girls did like you, you'd never have anything in common with them and you'd be bored with them in about two seconds. Right?"

"Um, yeah." Brian agreed.

Freddie chimed in. "And the whole time, girls like Saidie were sitting right under your nose. Bender told me you have a class with her. And yet you didn't even notice her… that way… until you saw her at the record store."

Brian nodded. "I don't know why that is. I guess Allison was right about high school messing everything up. I would never actually date any of those girls seriously. But…every guy in high school…oogles the cheerleaders and popular girls. I- I guess I… you know… fitting in…. what I'm supposed to do…..I didn't want to seem different or weird if I didn't like them, too."

Bender leaned over and explained to Freddie, "Allison is the one I call Klepto. You haven't met her yet. She's, um….Sporto's steady."

Andrew smiled and blushed at Bender's words, happy to think of Allison as his girlfriend. But he also thought, _So Bender's mentioned all of us to his friend. _

"I know what you mean, Johnson. It's like, I never really liked any of the girls I went out with before Allison. They were pretty, and we got along fine, but it was never really more than that. I just kind of did it because I was supposed to. I was supposed to be a ladies' man, and I was _supposed _to be dating that kind of girl. And they just went along with whatever I said. But not Allison. She calls me on crap, and she talks to me about things that are….important. That matter. Like, history and important art and stuff." Andy said.

"What about you, Freddie? Are you dating anyone?" Brian asked.

Freddie shook his head and laughed. "No way. I've got a thing for smart girls, dude. I keep trying to get Saidie to set me up with one of her brainy classmates, but she's not having any of it."

Bender smirked. "That's because you'll break on of their itty bitty hearts and Saidie will have to kick your ass and she doesn't want to."

Freddie pretended to look deep in thought. "True." He said and smiled. "So what about you? What about this Cherry girl?"

Bender's whole expression changed. "Nothing. Cherry is Cherry. We hang out. End of story."

Andy and Brian smiled at each other. "Oh, don't let him fool you, man. Bender is crazy over that girl." Andrew said.

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Really? Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Bender crazy over a girl. But I should have known. He never talks about girls to me, but he's mentioned her."

Andy and Brian giggled like girls and patted each other on the back. "So what is it about her, Bender? Because as I recall, when you two met, you hated each other. Like, loathing." Andrew asked.

"Oh, I bet I know what it is. She's one of those prissy richie popular types. A tease. It's because she's different and won't put out." Freddie guessed.

Bender whipped around at Freddie. "No. No, it is _not _that, you caveman idiot. I don't care about that shit. The girls I've slept with are friends of mine. Cherry isn't any better than them because she won't put out, and they aren't any less worthy than her because they do. They're _people, _you ass."

And Brian came to admire his friend Bender a little more for saying that. Bender was the exact opposite of the neanderthal people thought he was.

"Anyway, back to the issue at hand. How the hell do we get Brian a girl?" Bender said abruptly.

Freddie snorted. "Here's a start. Do you even talk to girls?' he asked Brian.

"I…um..sorta…?"

Bender turned back to Freddie. "You can take that as a no." he said. Andrew laughed.

"It's not a complicated equation, genius." Bender said to Brian. "You just find out what they're interested in and talk about that. And then, you tell them what you're interested in."

"Allison is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe and Sylvia Plath. So we talk about poetry and literature a lot. And she'll listen to me talk about stuff like baseball and how I'd like to travel one day and maybe have my own restaurant." Andy volunteered.

Freddie nodded. "Exactly. The girls I like, like Shakespeare and shit. So I do a lot of reading. Saidie likes Jane Austen and all that Regency literature stuff. And baseball. And she studies movies and stuff. You like any of those things?"

"I like baseball a little. I'm familiar with Jane Austen."

"Well, there you go. She's always going on about Austen and that Georgette Heyer woman and the Bronte sisters. Talk to her about that. You're already one step ahead, judging by the change in your look." Freddie said, looking down at Brian's clothes. Bender smiled with pride at what he'd done.

Then Freddie turned to Bender. "What about you? How did you get this Cherry girl?"

Bender smirked. "I sexually harassed her as a joke (only because I hated her), I called her a bitch for being rude, and I was a generic, obnoxious asshole." He replied.

Freddie laughed. "I guess when you look like John Bender, not much wooing is necessary."

Andy laughed too. "Like I said, girls are tricky. I planned a really nice date with everything Allison likes, and she snapped at me. Then she let me kiss her, and after I did she showed me a switchblade she bought for herself. But, like, in a threatening way. Like, she'll use that on me if I screw up."

Bender laughed. "That's what happens when you date a weirdo, Tights." Then he thought for a second and added, "Although it's not really just them. Cherry was being a total bitch about not wanting anything to do with any of us after detention, and then we finally go out, like on a date, and she's all protective and friendly and we're arguing over dweebie as if we're his parents. Fucking weird."

They all laughed. Freddie said, "Brian, maybe you're lucky. As weird as Saidie is, she may be the sanest of any chicks we know." And they laughed again.

After the laughter died down, Andy looked at Freddie. "So, Bender's told you….everything…how we met, and all?"

Freddie glanced at Bender. "Well, I'm guessing he hasn't told me everything, and neither has Brian in the few times I've spoken to him, but I know about how you all met and that Allison girl's idea. I think it's pretty cool. Makes for a great story, and sometimes hanging out with people just like you can get boring. Nice to make new friends and all. Different friends."

The other boys nodded. And that about summed it up. Bender patted Freddie on the back and said, "We're gonna go play pool, if you guys want to come."

And that was what they did for the rest of their guys' night out.

At the end of the night, before Andrew and Brian climbed back into Andrew's truck and Bender and Freddie headed back to Freddie's house, Bender put his arm around Brian and pulled the Brain closer to him and said, "Big Bri. You're going to have lunch with Saidie on Monday." Brian blushed.

And at that same time, Andy thought maybe he just might surprise Allison by stopping by the art room one day to see what she was working on.


	14. So Much Trouble

_"You've got to take me out at least once a week_  
_Whether I'm in your arms or I'm at your feet"_

_-Razorblade, The Strokes _

Claire Standish drove to school Monday morning all in a huff. The closer she got to campus, the more she reminded herself that she had only one social goal for that day: Find John Bender, and possibly make him suffer.

Claire thought they'd had a good time when they'd gone out. And sure, they'd agreed to take things a lot slower than, say, Allison and Andy were, and to try to find a girl for Brian before they focused on the two of them together. But she was extremely disappointed when Bender didn't call her Friday after the date to tell her what a good time he had (wasn't that how it always happened in the movies?), or _at all _on Saturday or Sunday. She knew that Allison and Andy spoke on the phone most evenings, and because of her calling Allison Sunday afternoon to distract herself from the fact that Bender hadn't called, she knew that Bender had gone out with Andy and Brian on Saturday night. Which meant that he had called them. Why couldn't he have found time to call her, now that he had her number? Did he not miss her already? Think about her? Had the spell already been broken? Had he already gone back to thinking that she was just too damn immoral to ever be good enough for him? Or did he not call because _he _thought that _she _thought she was too good for him? What if he'd taken the Brian conversation the wrong way; what if he thought she was just making excuses and trying to find a way out of…well, whatever it was between them?

But,no. When they'd had that conversation, there were no signs on Bender's face that he thought that. And if Claire had learned anything about him so far, it was that John Bender had an extremely expressive face that gave him away _Every. Single. Time. _So it couldn't be that.

Claire tried to calm herself down. Maybe she should talk to Brian first, before coming down too hard on Bender. Brian was a sensible guy, and he was rooting for Claire and Bender. But, no. Claire knew exactly what Brian would say. He'd say that Bender hadn't meant any harm by it, and that he just didn't have much experience with actually _dating,_ and probably didn't know the proper protocol or rules about calling.

And Claire knew all this. Truth be told, she didn't have much experience in dating, either. While all her other little popular friends constantly had a flurry of dates, Claire had kept to herself as far as that was concerned. Her friends all thought that she was just being picky, and maybe she was. But whatever the reason, Claire had not had much interest in dating, or the boys at her high school… until she officially met John Bender.

The very idea of kissing boys had always disgusted her, but from the moment Bender stood in front of her chair in detention and said those provocative things to her that she pretended to think were vile, she had actually wondered what it would be like to do those things with him; she'd actually _wanted _to kiss him, even then. He was just so damn hot and he had been so different and so smart. Every single thing that came out of his mouth was brilliant and hilarious.

But maybe John didn't feel any of these things for her. Claire didn't want to believe it, but it was the only explanation. She'd heard from Brian that the two of them had been hanging out quite a bit, and she remembered seeing Bender actually go up to Allison at her locker once and actually talk to her, and then there was this whole thing about him going out with "the guys"—which included Brian and even Andy. Okay, so, yeah, Claire and Bender had a date on Friday. But it was nothing compared to the effort he was making with the other three. _Why wasn't he making that effort with her?_

Okay, so maybe Claire was just all wound up because it had been over a week since the five of them had all been together. Saturday had been the first time they hadn't all been together during the weekend since detention, and maybe she was worried that it might throw off their dynamic. Or maybe, just maybe, she was concerned about what exactly had happened during the so-called guys' night. Where had they gone, what had they done, were other girls there?

That was what really had her worried. Before Allison told her about the guys' night, she'd been worried that maybe something had happened with Bender and his dad. But once she knew about it, and Bender still didn't call her on Sunday, she'd thought that maybe he'd met another girl who interested him more, or something. Bender _had _told her, after all, that he didn't believe in the whole "one guy, one girl" thing.

Claire had spent all day Sunday playing out the worst case scenario of how guys' night might have gone, and she found herself doing it again on her way to school. In her mind, all the boys had gotten drunk, courtesy of Bender, and during their wild night of booze and dancing with girls, some blond with big boobs who was part of the heavy metal vomit party crowd had seduced Bender, and he'd gone home with her, and forgotten all about Claire.

Claire knew she had no right to feel even a little bit jealous of this imaginary blond. Unlike Andy and Allison, she and Bender weren't a couple: not even close. At least, not yet. But knowing that hadn't stopped her from doing the best she could to put together an outfit for today that was similar to the one she'd worn on their date on Friday—all in the hopes of catching Bender's attention. And torturing him if he didn't have a good reason for not calling her. She hadn't even cared what her friends would say about her risqué attire. She'd just wanted Bender to know what he was missing.

And she had a perfect plan for how to get his attention.

First, Claire had to deal with her friends. They were waiting for her as always at her locker, and Claire was actually glad to have the distraction of at least being amused by their shocked looks when they saw her.

"Hey, guys," she greeted them, trying to be nonchalant.

"Claire, honey, what the hell have you done to yourself?! You look like one of those trashy smoker rocker girls!" Charlotte said boldly.

_Good, _Claire thought to herself, _then I did it right. _She smiled internally.

In front of her friends, she just shrugged. "I just wanted to try something different. Part of being fashionable is always changing your look. It's boring to always have the same hairstyle, same style of clothes, all the time," she said, putting it in terms that they would understand and agree with.

"Well, I think you look kind of cool!" Annabelle said, looking the outfit over.

Claire smiled at her. "Thanks, Annabelle!" she replied happily.

But Erica didn't seem as convinced. "Hmmm… I don't buy it. Something strange is definitely going on. Maybe this out-of-character behavior is just some weird side effect of whatever you were 'sick' from this weekend. Although you definitely look like you're feeling fine now." Erica spoke, suspiciously.

"Yeah, I got so much rest. Which is why I'm, like, totally behind now on all my homework. So I better go." And she closed her locker and walked off. Claire was beginning to realize that she'd been using schoolwork a lot lately as an excuse to ditch her friends.

Her next task was to head straight for the locker of a wasteoid she knew she'd had Gym with last year. She'd seen the guy with Bender once before, and she always saw him with other smokers. She knew exactly where his locker was because she'd seen him there with Bender before. Claire had been watching Bender a lot more in the past few weeks than anyone would have guessed or she would have admitted, and luckily no one had seemed to really notice.

Claire put on what she hoped was her best flirty smile and made her way over to the locker, where he was standing alone.

"Hi," Claire started, "Freddie, right?"

Freddie looked at Claire as if he'd seen a ghost. "Yep, that's my name," was all he said.

"Hi," Claire said again, "Claire Standish." She extended her hand to him. At first Freddie just stood there. Then, finally, he shook her hand hesitantly. "I know who you are. Sort of. I've seen you around." He said.

Claire smiled her prettiest smile at him. "Wow. You've got nice hands. Very masculine, I mean. I bet you work on cars, and stuff, huh?"

Freddie smiled back, obviously flattered. "Yeah, I'm learning. A friend of mine is teaching me."

"Well, Freddie, it's nice to officially meet you."

"Likewise. What can I do for you?"

Claire, who had spent the past two weeks trying to be a better, more thoughtful person, did exactly what she needed to at this point: revert back into girly, shallow mode.

"Well, see, here's the thing, Freddie. I'm, like, sort of trying new things right now. So, I was wondering if I could have lunch with you. You know, you and your….crowd…and like, smoke? Could you take me to where you guys go during lunch? I'd like to…you know…"

Freddie smiled. "Buy some doobage?"

"Yes." Claire said matter of factly. "See, my friends can be, like, totally annoying, and sometimes I just need to escape, you know? And I thought, you know, you always seemed so cool in Gym, and made everyone laugh, so I thought maybe you might be able to help me with my…problem…and keep me company while I…like,partake?"

Freddie nodded, feeling like he was in a daze. He had no idea what was going on. Claire Standish asking him to hang out with her during lunch and sell her marijuana? Not likely to happen on an average Monday.

"Yeah. Meet me here at lunch and I'll show you where to go." Freddie finally replied.

"Thanks!" Claire said, pretending to be relieved, even though she knew perfectly well where the wasteoids hung out at lunch.

Then she waved to Freddie in a flirtatious manner, and walked off, smiling to herself. She couldn't wait to see the look on John Bender's face when he saw a very sexy-looking Claire Standish hanging out with his group at lunch. He wouldn't be able to forget her then. And even her friends wouldn't be able to say anything about this one-time thing. They had all experimented with marijuana at one point or another and had therefore interacted with a wasteoid or two every now and then. But Bender didn't know that.

What _Claire_ didn't know was that she had been talking to Bender's closest friend, and that Bender had been watching her all along. Claire thought that she was talking to some casual acquaintance of Bender's that he got high with from time to time. Bender had never mentioned Freddie to her, so she didn't know that they weren't _just_ in the same social group, they were practically best friends. And she had crossed a line.

Bender had seen Claire go over to Freddie's locker, and had watched them the whole time, without either of them noticing him. He couldn't believe it. Not only was _Claire fucking Standish_ flirting with his truest buddy, but the two of them were so wrapped up in their interaction that they didn't even notice him.

As soon as Claire walked off, Bender walked over to Freddie, punching him in the arm in a way that could have been conceived as friendly if Freddie didn't know better. "What the hell did _she _want with you?"

Freddie laughed. "Some richie wanting to take a walk on the dark side and experiment with drugs? I don't know, man. Why do you care?"

"Freddie… that was Cherry."

"Cherry? The girl you met in detention?! You never told me it was Claire Standish, asshole."

"And now you see why. Answer the question. What did she want?"

"I told you."

"Bull_shit,_" Bender said, "she was all over you and practically making googly eyes. And dressed like that. That _bitch_."

"Nah. Flirting is just a game to girls like that." Freddie argued.

"Did she say anything about me?" Bender asked, calming down slightly.

"Nope. Dude, what the hell is going on between you and that girl?"

Bender rolled his eyes. "I don't know. She won't even hang out with me in school, but she'll flirt with you for everyone to see?!"

Freddie laughed. "Dude, I've been around enough girls to know that if they like you the way that girl seems to from what you've told me, they don't openly flirt with your friends unless they are pissed with you about something. My man, you are in _so much trouble._"

Bender threw himself against a locker. "Fuck. How could I possibly have screwed up already?"

Freddie didn't answer. He just laughed, patted Bender on the back, and headed off to class.


	15. The First Fight- Part 1-Alli & Andy

_"I never look in the mirror_  
_'Cause I've forgotten how to be myself_  
_My senses have been deranged_  
_Now it's you and everyone else"_

_-You And Everyone Else, Nickel Eye_

_The future of the Club._

Andrew had thought about it, a lot. Especially that first Sunday after detention. Claire hadn't even thought it would come to this, that their friendship would get this far. Bender pushed the thoughts away from the beginning, along with any other thoughts of the future. And Brian had suspected it was a possibility all along. But Allison…Allison _knew. _She had known the entire time. She had always known it was too good to be true; that even given the best case scenario, the Breakfast Club wouldn't last. And now, she had her proof. It had taken less than a month to tear them all apart.

Allison was still trying to piece together how it had all come to be; how everything had happened between the five of them as a group, and between different little pairings of them. So far, she had been unsuccessful. By the time Allison went to bed on Tuesday night, all she knew was that she resented Andy, Andy was upset with her, Claire and Bender were at each other's throats, Allison was furious with Claire, Bender was avoiding Allison, and Brian and Bender weren't speaking to each other. And just as quickly as they had all become friends, they had now gone back to their pre-detention days where they didn't even acknowledge each other's existence.

For Allison, it had all started Monday. In fact, as far as Allison knew, everything for all of them had gone wrong around lunchtime on that day.

She had known there was a bad energy in the air when she'd seen Bender in the hallway and instead of giving her a smirk and a "Hey, Klepto" he looked right past her, not even really seeing her, and walked down the hall banging his fists in anger against every locker he passed. She suspected then that this was not going to be a good day. That was just a bad omen.

And then lunch had happened, and everything had gone horribly wrong.

Allison knew that Brian had plans during lunch, and because it was gloomy outside, and she was already having such a shitty day, she didn't want to eat on the football field alone. So she'd decided to go to the art room.

She hadn't expected for Andrew Clark to find her there and join her.

He looked incredibly nervous when he walked in. He kind of stuck his head in first and looked around. Since most kids weren't social outcasts to the degree that Allison was, the room was almost empty during lunch: there was only one other student in the room besides Allison, and the art teacher Mrs. Hyde. Allison squeaked when she saw him, and he looked over at her and smiled. He finally brought the rest of his body inside the room and walked over to her.

"Why are you here?" Allison asked in a tone that wasn't meant to be rude or mean, but was because she had her defenses up.

"I figured you'd be here. I just wanted to see what you were working on. I….I saw that thing you were working on in detention, and it was really good, so I was curious."

Allison didn't speak; she just eyed him. "Thanks." She finally said.

Andy smiled at her again. Allison couldn't believe the way he saw her sometimes. For someone who wasn't used to being looked at, at all, it blew her away that Andrew could stare at her like she was a goddess or something. He'd get a look on his face like, "This girl is endlessly fascinating and insane, and it scares me and excites me all at once."

"So, what are you working on, then?" Andrew asked.

Allison took him to a painting she was working on. Andrew spent a few minutes studying it, quietly. It was a painting of a young man, in his mid-twenties, sitting in front of Allison's house, on the front porch. Finally Allison couldn't take it any longer. "Well?" she asked.

"This is really good. I can't imagine ever making anything this good." Andrew spoke sincerely.

"Really?" Allison asked, showing the tiniest bit of vulnerability.

Andrew couldn't even take his eyes off of it. "Yeah. I mean, everybody thinks I'm hot stuff or something because of sports, but this…this is real talent. So, who is this?"

Allison blew on her hair and then looked from the painting to Andrew, as if she didn't want to answer and was determining whether or not she should.

Finally, she did. "It's my older brother Frank."

Andrew finally took his eyes off of the painting. "You have a brother? You never mentioned that."

Allison squeaked again. "Yeah. He lives in New York."

"Do you talk to him much?"

"Yes. No. Every now and then. He's always busy with work. He's…a designer… and he's gay."

"Oh. Cool." Andrew said, not knowing what else to say. "You two must be close. I mean, you painted him and all."

"We used to be. I mean, we still are. We're all each other has. When he comes home, at least someone pays attention to me."

Andrew nodded, looking at her with that same intense look of empathy that he'd had on his face in detention when she told him her parents ignored her.

"He's not all you have anymore." Andrew said, slightly rubbing Allison's hand. Allison just looked down at his hand. She didn't remove it, but she didn't have the same flirty, carefree, googly-eyed look most girls Andrew knew would have had on their faces at a moment like this. She just looked at his hand as if she was concentrating on it.

"So, tell me more about your brother. I don't get it. Did your parents treat him the same way they treat you?"

Allison nodded with a teary—eyed look. Andrew just shook his head sadly. "I don't get how a parent could ignore their own child like that. My old man may be a tool, but at least he shows some kind of interest."

"They were always too busy for us," was Allison's only response.

They spent the rest of the lunch period talking about Allison and Frank and their relationship.

Allison didn't see any of the rest of the Club that day, which wasn't a good sign. And the final straw was when Andy didn't call her that night. He called her most nights, and she knew he was the kind of guy who called the girl a night before a date to confirm plans. That was the nice gentleman type that he was. But Andy didn't call her. So she called him.

"Hello?" one of his brothers answered.

"Hi, may I speak with Andrew?" Allison asked.

"One minute." Allison heard shuffling and muffled voices, and then the same guy came back to the phone. "Who's calling?"

"Tell him it's the basket case."

More shuffling and muffled voices. Then again the same voice, "Andrew can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?"

Allison could feel the hurt and anger and tears welling up inside her. "Could you tell the Sport to come to the phone now unless he wants me to use that thing I showed him, _on_ him? Thanks."

And this time he did pick up. "Hello?"

"I knew it. I knew you wouldn't be able to take the pressure for long. You're avoiding me, aren't you?"

"Allison, I really don't want to talk about this right now."

"What about our date tomorrow?"

"I- I can't go out with you tomorrow, Allison." Andrew said, sounding defeated.

"How could you? How could you do this to me? You're a shit, you know that?" Allison spoke, almost yelling.

"And you're a liar!" Andy said, almost spitting the words out. Allison hissed in a breath. She wasn't prepared for this.

"What are you talking about? I told you I was a compulsive liar." Allison said, trying to make a joke, hoping that would lighten then mood, and that Andy was joking, too.

"And that's the one time I should have believed you. But I never thought even you would lie about this. How could you lie to me, Allison? I know that house where I've been dropping you off isn't your house. It's your brother's. I know he doesn't live in New York."

Allison was speechless. "That's right," Andy continued, "I know you live two neighborhoods away from Claire. You're a rich girl, just like her. You've been lying all this time, and I don't know why. I don't even want to talk to you right now. Goodnight."

Before Allison could respond, Andrew hung up the phone.

Allison sunk back onto her pillow in tears. Bad energy, bad omen indeed.


	16. The First Fight-Part 2-Bender and Claire

_"Oh no, my feelings are more important than yours_  
_Oh, drop dead, I don't care, I won't worry, let it go"_

_-Razorblade, The Strokes_

If Monday had been hard for Allison, it was a total disaster for Bender and Claire, and a pain for Brian.

After seeing Claire flirting with Freddie in the hallway, Bender could think of nothing else. To say he was furious would have been an understatement.

How could she? How could Claire flirt with his best friend, only a few days after going on a date with him and making out with him? Why had she gone up to _his closest friend_ in the middle of the fucking hallway and asked him to lunch, right in Bender's face?

Okay, so it hadn't really been in Bender's face. Claire had no way of knowing that Bender was watching them, even if she had suspected it. But the _bitch _was practically having eye sex with Freddie first thing in the morning in the middle of the hallway for all to see.

Bender was no Neanderthal (in fact later on Allison would eventually come to label him a feminist) but he couldn't stand the idea of spending all morning thinking about Freddie and Claire together; about Freddie spending lunch with _his _Cherry.

Bender had two options: he could either go outside and get high and skip class (and thus start turning into his father) or he could find someone to talk to and some way to get back at _stupid fucking Queenie_ and her stupid fucking games.

Bender chose the latter, and headed straight for Saidie's locker.

Saidie smiled when she saw him. "You're actually here early on a Monday morning? Either I'm dreaming or the world is ending, my friend." She said, laughing.

When Bender didn't roll his eyes in an exaggerated manner and give her a sarcastic verbal "Ha ha," she knew he was in a bad mood.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Why do you girls all like fucking with our heads so much?"

Saidie sighed and slinked back against her locker. "What happened, Bender?"

"I don't wanna fucking talk about it, man." Bender said, also sliding back next to Saidie.

"Then why are you here?" Saidie asked, always knowing just how to get to Bender. He sighed, defeated, and finally said, "Fine. You know dweebie—I mean, Brian? I told you how I met him in detention, right?"

"Yeah," Saidie replied, with a huge smile on her face at the mere mention of Brian's name. For once, Bender didn't notice.

"Well, Claire fucking Standish was also there."

"Uh-huh?"

"Oh, _fuck me._ You better not tell anyone. Saidie. I've been sort of….you know…_infuckingvolved _with her or something, ever since then. Outside of school. Never here. Brian talked me into asking her out on Friday. I took her to the fucking arcade, and…_shit. _Now she's asking Freddie _of all fucking people_ to have lunch with her as if I don't even exist, and looking at him with that stupid girly look of hers."

Saidie's eyes were practically sparkling from hidden smiles and laughter. "Ah." She said.

Finally Bender turned to look at her. "Is this fucking funny to you?" Bender practically spit out the words.

"Well, I'm sorry, but, yes, it's freaking funny! I've never seen you like this before, bro. And over the most popular girl in school, no less."

"Saidie. Shut it." Bender said, trying to sound furious. But she was the one person in all of Shermer that Bender could never really be upset with, and she knew it. It just made her laugh harder.

"I'm sorry. But…come on, Bender. I mean, really. Claire Standish and our Freddie? I just don't see it. Maybe, and this is just off the top of my head, but if you really like this chick (which, by the way, is mind boggling in a way I can't even describe) you should just talk to her. I'm sure it's not what you think."

Bender just shrugged. "I know what I saw."

"Okay, look. Bender, I love Freddie just as much as you do and all, but…I know something that you don't."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"I may not be popular like Claire Standish, and I may not have girl friends, but I do _know_ a lot of girls. We talk, sometimes. And what you may not know is that the general consensus among the female Shermer population is that you are, in fact, _the _hottest guy in school."

"_What?"_

Saidie smiled up at him in that adorable way she had. "It's a sad, true fact. Oh, sure, the popular girls go out with the jocks and the pretty boys, and the smart girls go out with the dorks and all that crap. But, although most girls probably would be too scared to date you, it has been said by more than one of us that none of those guys is as good looking as you are. Even the girls that pretend to hate you. And if Miss Prom Queen _has _taken to liking bad boys, I just can't see her fooling around with Freddie if she's nabbed your attention. I don't think she even _knows _Freddie. Not really, anyway."

Bender was getting that mischievous smirk on his face. So much for the idea that he didn't count at this school. _Take that, Sporto, _he thought. "All the girls here really think that?"

"Oh, come on. Don't try that with me. You're not _that_ surprised." Saidie teased him.

"Hey, Saidie, could you do something for me? Could you come outside with me during lunch?" Bender asked, forgetting that he'd spent a small chunk of Sunday pepping Brian up to ask Saidie to lunch today.

Saidie rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what her dear friend was up to. "I can't believe you're dragging me into this. But okay. Only if you promise to tell me all about this infamous detention soon."

This time Bender rolled his eyes. "Fine." he said, as Saidie grabbed his arm and dragged him off to class.

Claire found herself very nervous as lunchtime rolled around. As she headed off to her locker to grab her purse, she wandered if she really knew what she was getting herself into.

It had been hard to dodge her friends, who had been waiting for her outside of her last class before lunch. When she told them she wasn't joining them for lunch after all, Charlotte had whined, "But you ditched us for lunch on Friday, too!"

"Um, yeah, I know, but I, like, totally just have been so exhausted with my parents fighting all the time and making it, like, hard to sleep. I just need time to myself sometimes. But I promise I'll do lunch with you guys tomorrow." She put on a fake smile and kissed Charlotte on both cheeks, and walked off.

Freddie wasn't looking as pleasant as he had before. If anything, he looked amused in a malicious way.

"Hi," Claire mumbled, as the two of them walked away from Freddie's locker and towards the side door of the school.

"I know who you are, you know." Freddie said, stopping Claire in her tracks.

"What?"

"I know about you and Bender. He's told me about you. When you came up to me this morning, I didn't know that you were the girl he's been going on about, but I do now."

Claire hung her head. "Oh," was all she came up with.

"You wanna tell me what's really going on with you and Bender?"

Claire turned red. "I….I just wanted to make him jealous. I know the type of girls he's used to, and when he didn't call me this weekend, I thought…I just wanted him to think that I was as hot as those other girls."

Freddie smiled at her. "I see." He wasn't the type of person who normally got deeply involved in the affairs of others, and since he thought both Bender and Claire were overreacting and being silly, he wasn't about to start now.

As he opened the side door, he said, "Last chance to back out." Claire hesitated, then shook her head and went out the door.

There were already quite a few burnouts out there. Claire scanned the crowd and saw Bender sitting on top of a car with a black girl she'd never seen before. She tried to ignore him as she paid Freddie. She tried to ignore Bender as he gave the girl he was with a smile Claire thought was only reserved for her.

She pretended to ignore him as she took Freddie's hand, found a spot on the wall for them, and dug her heel into the wall as she leaned her long legs against it. She even kept her cool when Freddie was faking showing her how to smoke and their hands touched and Bender didn't seem to notice or care. But when Bender leaned up against the girl and looked at her and smiled again, and reached across her, Claire didn't wait around to see what would happen next. She told Freddie she needed to get out of there and walked off.

She had no idea where she was going to go. She couldn't face her friends right now. And she didn't want anyone to see her cry. With the halls being empty during lunch, she hoped she'd have enough time to make it to the nearest restroom before she started to cry.

As she was thinking that, she heard footsteps coming in her direction. She started to panic about someone seeing her like this, until she heard the jingle of chains and realized it had to be Bender.

"Go away," she said to him.

"What is your problem?!"

"You were my problem. I should have known it wouldn't take long for you to get bored with me." Claire snapped.

Bender's eyes got wide with anger. "You're shitting me, right? Is this your idea of making a joke at my expense, Queenie? I saw you. I saw you flirting with Freddie. My friend. One of my only fucking friends. And you said you couldn't be seen with any of us in school but you flirt with him _in my face_, after I….after I fucking tried with you. And after you said I had no feelings. Was this some kind of way to test me, Queenie? To make me _jealous…_and see if I really did have feelings? You. Are. A. _Bitch._"

Claire was fuming. To Bender's surprised, she stepped forward and slapped him across on the cheek. Hard. "Stop calling me that! I am not a bitch! You're the one who was all over that black girl just now. I knew this was a waste of time. I should have listened to you when you told me you didn't believe in the one guy, one girl thing."

Bender had been caught off guard by Claire slapping him. He was looking at her with a look that Claire had never seen before. For a second Claire wondered if Bender was going to hit her.

That same thought had been going through his own mind. As soon as Claire made contact with his face, his hands had balled up into fists. But that was as far as it had gone. Bender wouldn't dare hit Claire. He could never be like his father.

He had just stood there staring at Claire, listening to her, and taking deep breaths. When he spoke, it scared Claire more than if he had hit her, because he voice was even and devoid of sarcasm and calm in a very unfamiliar way for John Bender.

"I only call you a _bitch _when you act like one. And as far as the one guy, one girl thing, _Queenie_, have you seen me with any other girl recently before today? And it was your fucking idea to take things slow for now and not get too involved with each other."

"So, is that why you planned a guys' night? Because you're free and you wanted to go out and pick up other girls?"

Bender's nostrils flared in that way they did when he was really angry. "You really are fucking insane, _Claire. _You have no idea what you're talking about. And I must have been out of my fucking mind to think I could ever have anything in common with you."

Claire knew where he was headed, and it hurt. She wanted to burst into tears or pull Bender close to her and kiss him. But her pride, her stupid pride, forced her to do the one thing she didn't want to do: beat him to the punch. "You're right. It is insane. I can't do this anymore."

"Fine!" Bender yelled, even though his heart was pounding.

"Fine!" Claire yelled back, and walked off, hiding her tears from him. The last sound she heard as she walked off was Bender slamming his fist into a locker.

What she didn't hear was Bender say, "Fuck!" under his breath, followed by a "nice going, asshole."

Instead of going after Claire, Bender stood where he was for a whole minute. He needed to get his head out of his ass. He needed to be reminded that he could do things besides screw up. He needed to find Brian.

Brian. _Crap. _He'd totally forgotten that Brian was supposed to have lunch with Saidie today. He'd practically had to coerce the dork into agreeing to ask Saidie to lunch today. And then he'd turned around and asked Saidie to ditch him. _Great. Just fucking great, _Bender thought. The poor dweebie's heart (not to mention what little courage he'd gained since meeting Bender) must have been blown to smithereens by now. If only Bender knew where he was.

Of course. The library. Isn't that where brainiacs spent most of their time, anyway?

Bender couldn't believe he was headed into the library and it wasn't even for detention. He spotted his brainy friend right away. "Hey, dork," Bender said a little too loudly.

Brian didn't greet Bender with his usual shy, excited grin. His face turned red. As Bender walked over to his table, Brian slammed his books shut and got up.

"What's going on?" Bender asked.

"G-go away, Bender." He hissed.

"What the hell's your problem, dweebie?"

"Don't! I…I asked you, Bender. If you and Saidie….you didn't tell me. I knew you and I weren't really friends," Brian said, tears burning in his eyes. "You set me up. You set me up so you could _laugh_ at me."

"What are you babbling about? If it's about lunch—" Bender started.

"—I know you kissed her," was the last thing Brian said before he practically stomped off from Bender. And Bender knew he was rightly and truly screwed.


	17. The First Fight-Part 3-Brian & Bender

_"I looked up to you, but you thought I would look the other way_  
_And you hear what you want to hear_  
_And they take what they want to take"_

_-11th Dimension, Julian Casablancas_

Brian had come to school that Monday morning full of hope. He'd had an awesome weekend (having practically spent the whole day Saturday with Bender since his parents were busy and not around to harass him about studying; and having spent part of Sunday talking to Bender on the phone about Saidie, and about what he should do on Monday.)

Most of Brian's "friends" never allowed themselves to get too close to anyone because they spent most of their time competing with each other for the best grade, and getting too close to each other would make it too hard to cut each other's throats when necessary. So Brian had never really known what it was like to have a friend who could be supportive and encouraging and fun to be around all at the same time. Dell was cool, but even he wasn't the kind of person who would help you believe in yourself and all of that kind of stuff. So Brian had gotten used to not having that. He never in his wildest dreams could have imagined that his first and only real friend who'd be his own personal cheerleader would be none other than scary John Bender. But that's exactly what had happened.

Bender was always trying to make him believe he could do any crazy thing he wanted to. He helped Brian find the courage to stand up to his parents about dressing like a normal teenager and he even was giving Brian the guts to start rebelling in little small ways, like sneaking out to go to guys' night when he was supposed to be grounded for getting detention. And Brian certainly knew he wouldn't have had a chance at all with Saidie or any other girl if it weren't for Bender.

So when Bender had given him a pep talk on Sunday about taking a first step by eating lunch with Saidie on Monday, he thought he might actually be able to make it through asking her, with Bender in his corner and with Bender believing that he was ready. If Bender believed it, as far as Brian had been concerned, then he could suck it up, man up, and make it happen. Because Bender didn't believe in anyone (he had no reason to, with almost no one really believing in him), but he seemed to believe in Brian, no matter how strange it sounded.

And it did sound strange. Brian couldn't wrap his brain around why a cool guy like Bender would want to waste so much time hanging around a dope like him. He certainly couldn't imagine what it was Bender saw in him that he liked.

But by the end of the day, it would all become perfectly clear to Brian. Or so he thought.

When he'd gotten to school, he'd been all smiles and nerves. He'd worn some of the clothes that Bender had influenced him to buy with some of his leftover birthday money, and he felt oddly confident. He wondered if it was how cool guys like Bender felt every day.

He had his Honors English class with Saidie second period. Normally, knowing what he had to do would have had him freaking out the whole of first period, but he was actually excited to see what Saidie would think of his sort of new look. If she liked it, he'd ask her to lunch like he'd promised Bender, and that'd be the start to building a friendship with her and maybe one day asking her out on real date…someday.

He made sure to get to English early, and prayed that Saidie would too. He'd spent so many days watching her in English class ever since he'd met her at the record store,that it was hard to believe he hadn't noticed her and how great she was, before. But that was all before the Breakfast Club had exposed him to the fact that he could step outside his own brain sometimes and notice the parts of the world around him that didn't consist of physics and math and being the perfect student and listening to teachers and all that. There were more than just parents and teachers; there were other kids who weren't dorks like him, and there were…girls. Brian saw that now.

After what seemed like an hour, but couldn't have even been five minutes because the late bell hadn't rung yet, Saidie finally walked in. She was wearing a long white skirt that looked like it was from the '50s, and red sweater that hugged her chest (Brian blushed and felt slightly bad for noticing), red boots, and a pink ribbon in her hair. It was a very old-looking outfit, and Brian heard some girls snickering as Saidie walked by them, but Saidie just kept smiling, not seeming to care. Anyone else would have looked ridiculous in a 50s outfit, but Brian thought Saidie looked absolutely beautiful—almost like a doll, and he thought that the ribbon in her hair was sweet and adorable. And when she put on the glasses she tried to keep from wearing as much as possible, and looked around for a seat, Brian thought he could very easily fall in love with this girl he was coming to admire. Even Brian knew almost no one looked good in glasses, but Saidie was the exception—at least to him.

She finally sat at a desk only two away from Brian. She smiled at him when she saw him, as she did now any morning when both of them made it to class before the bell and they had time to notice each other.

"Hi, Brian." She said.

Brian smiled back. "Hi…um…Saidie?" He asked, the old Brian coming back to the surface. She must not have noticed the inflection in his voice, using her name as a question, because she started doodling something in her notebook. Brian cleared his throat and decided to start again.

"Saidie?"

"Yeah?" she asked, looking up at him, and taking her glasses back off. Brian suddenly thought it might have been a whole lot easier if she weren't looking at him. Maybe he should have just written her a note. If it had worked for Bender, maybe it would work for him. But no. The whole reason it had worked for Bender was because Claire had thought it was cute because it was a show of vulnerability and the exact opposite of what a guy like Bender would normally do. It would never have worked for him. Gosh, if Brian was finding it hard to do this, he couldn't imagine how any guy ever managed to actually ask a girl out on a real date.

He cleared his throat again. "Um, I wanted to ask you if you would want to maybe eat lunch with me today…in the cafeteria?" There. It was done.

Saidie's face dropped. Uh-oh. Maybe she didn't like Brian after all. If Bender had been wrong, Brian was going to kill him. Or at least hire someone to do it.

"Oh, wow. That would be great, Brian, except I already told Bender I'd have lunch with him. He kind of needs me for something."

And this time it was Saidie who saw Brian's face drop.

Brian couldn't believe what he had just heard. What was Bender's game? He'd seemed all encouraging of Brian pursuing Saidie, and practically made him do this thing, and Saidie was rejecting him because Bender had asked her to hang out with him instead. It didn't make any sense. What was going on? Was this some kind of test? Had Bender orchestrated this to give the "dweebie" his first rejection? Was this part of preparing him for dating and wooing Saidie? Brian was confused and angry, but he knew he'd get the truth out of Bender one way or another.

After Bender had the encounter with Brian in the library during lunch, he thought to himself that at least Claire wasn't his biggest problem anymore. He had to find Saidie and figure out just what had happened between her and Brian, and how Brian had come to be so mad at Bender over her.

As he was rounding the corner away from the library, he saw Saidie running towards him. She caught up with him, and stopped in front of him. "See, this is why you shouldn't play games," she said. "What happened?"

"We broke up. Not that we were ever fucking together. Whatever." Bender explained.

Saidie sighed. "Oh, Bender, what did you do?"

Bender whipped around and gave her the wide eyes. "Why do you assume it was _me_?" And Saidie looked at him in a way that said, "_Come on, really?"_

"She fucking started it. She's the game player, not me." Bender said defensively.

Saidie just shook her head. "I hope it was worth it."

"Fuck that. You've got nerve questioning me. What the hell did _you _do?" Bender said, getting back on the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Brian is furious with me. He says he knows I kissed you, Saidie." Bender informed her.

"Oh, that. I meant to tell you." Saidie said. And then she proceeded to tell him what had happened.

Seconds after Saidie had told Brian she couldn't have lunch with him, the bell had rung, and so they'd been forced to end the conversation. But Saidie had spent the whole class in panic mode. She'd definitely seen that look on Brian's face. He'd looked so hurt. He'd obviously gotten the wrong impression. It wasn't that Saidie didn't want to have lunch with Brian. In fact, she was psyched that he had asked; surprised even. Before he'd asked, Saidie had assumed her feelings for him were unrequited. But Brian had looked so dejected that now she knew that there was definitely something there. But she was also smart enough to know that now Brian thought _she _wasn't interested in _him. _And that made her panic.

Saide knew she had to do something. She had to explain to Brian the truth, or he would never ask her to hang out with him again. That much she'd bet any amount of money on.

When class was over, she watched Brian as he slowly gathered his stuff. She went up to him.

"Brian?"

Brian almost jumped out of his skin. "Um, yeah? Sorry about earlier." He said, blushing.

"No, Brian, there's nothing to be sorry about. That's why I wanted to make sure I caught you after class. I hope you don't think that I don't want to hang out with you. I'd love to have lunch with you. It's just that Bender's my friend, and he needs my help."

Brian nodded, unable to speak. Saidie didn't seem to understand that he wasn't mad at her. It was Bender he had the problem with.

He kind of waved to Saidie and started to leave class. Saidie followed him.

"See, he's just been my friend for so long. He's always kind of looked out for me, and so I try to be there for him too. I mean, we've been friends since middle school. He was my first kiss last year and everything, haha. We've always sort of helped each other. I just don't want you to think I wasn't…um, interested…or that I was choosing him over you or anything like that," Saidie said, trying to smile at him.

"Okay, thanks. It's no big deal." Brian said. He tried to smile back at her, so he could get out of there before she could see how upset he really was.

Bender had lied to him. He'd told Brian that there was nothing going on between him and Saidie and now Brian found out that they'd kissed. Brian should have listened to his gut. He'd felt there was more to the story, and he had been right. This had all been some joke Bender was playing on him to humiliate him. Egg Brian on and make him think he had a shot with Saidie when she was Bender's all along. And poor Claire. How would she take it?

When Saidie told Bender about her conversation with Brian, Bender leaned back and rolled his eyes. "Saidie. What the fuck were you thinking?" he asked.

"I know, I know. I'm _sorry._ But you know how I get. When I'm excited or nervous I talk too much and start saying stuff I maybe shouldn't."

"Yeah, no fucking kidding."

"I'm sorry, Bender."

"It's not your fault. I mean, it was a kissing lesson. It's not like we kissed because we have the hots for each other or some shit."

"Yeah, I know. You took pity on me because I'd never kissed a boy. Don't worry, I'll explain it to him."

Bender scowled. "Don't bother. I'll deal with the dork myself. He thinks I set him up. I've been nothing but fucking nice to dweebie and he thinks I've been pulling some elaborate hoax on him? Fuck that."

Bender was trying to play it cool, but Saidie could tell his feelings were hurt. Both boys seemed to have major trust issues. But Bender's were definitely worse. He had opened up to Brian, and done everything he could to be a friend to him, and Brian _still_ had the nerve to think that Bender was capable of doing something so calculated, so hurtful, and so….._shitty_ to him. If that was how little Brian thought of Bender, then Brian could kiss his ass.

And Bender would make sure he knew it, too.


	18. Similar Regrets

_"Forgive them, even if they are not sorry_  
_All the vultures, bootleggers at the door waiting"_

_-11th Dimension, Julian Casablancas_

It had been two weeks since the Club had pretty much ceased to exist. In that time, Claire and Bender had taken to giving each other the evil eye if they happened to see each other in the hallways. Andrew made sure to keep his head firmly looking down at his feet if he crossed paths with Allison. He must have told at least Bender of his discovery about Allison, because now every time Allison saw Bender, he would turn in the other direction from her, but not before Allison could see the disappointment in his eyes. And Brian looked as if he wanted to cry anytime he ran into Bender, while Bender's hands would make fists at the very sight of the dork he'd thought would be the last person to make him feel bad about himself, but had done just that.

It hadn't taken Allison very long to deduce how Andrew had found out she'd been lying to him. It had to have been Claire. She was the only one that had ever been to Allison's real house. Allison had stupidly assumed her secret was safe because Claire would have been used to the type of house Allison lived in, so she wouldn't think of it, or Allison's parents, as anything special.

And the truth was, Claire hadn't meant to rat her out. She had just been confused.

What the others didn't know was that Claire and Andrew had formed their own tight friendship; a sort of bond to keep each other strong. Allison didn't have friends, Brian's friends were okay people, and Bender didn't really get attached enough for anyone's opinions to matter to him; but Claire and Andrew were going through the same things as far as their pre-detention friends were concerned. They both knew what it was like to wonder what they would do when the inevitable happened and their friends eventually found out somehow about them hanging out with the brain, the basket case, and the criminal. Someone was bound to run into them when they were out and about as a group.

So, even though Claire hung out with Allison the most because she was the only other girl in the group, she had also formed a special friendship with Andrew. The two of them had study hall together, and even though they'd only been on nodding terms before, they now spent most of their class time together whispering to each other. They hadn't told anyone else in the group about the things they talked about together; the whole point was to keep it between the two of them. Allison wouldn't fully grasp why they desperately needed each other to commiserate with, and Brian and Bender (_especially_ Bender) certainly wouldn't understand.

Andrew had been looking forward to bragging on Allison's art to Claire that Monday when he got to study hall. He'd sat down next to Claire and opened his book, and then whispered to her, "Claire!"

Claire looked up at him from her book and noticed the happiness on his face. Even in her misery after her fight with Bender, she was glad to see someone happy, so she smiled back. "I know that smile. You only smile like that when you've been around Allison." she said.

Andrew sort of laughed. "I went to see her at lunch. She's amazing. She showed me some of her art. I wish I could be good at something other than sports, like she is."

"She showed you some of her art? Whoa. She must really like you. She wouldn't even really show me much of anything and I've been to her house a few times."

Andrew practically beamed; Claire had no idea just how fascinated he was by Allison. He just said, "Her stuff looks so professional. She has this one painting of her older brother—did you know she has an older brother?—sitting outside of her little blue house—it almost looks lifelike."

Claire crinkled her nose a little the way she did sometimes when she was confused. "Wait, what? Little blue house? Oh, you mean her brother's house?"

It was Andy's turn to look confused. "No, her house. How do you know about her brother? I thought he lived in New York?"

"New York? Wait, which brother are you talking about? Because as far as I know, neither of her brothers lives in, like, New York. "

"They don't?"

"No," Claire said, beginning to ramble on in her old borderline gossipy way, "One is much older and lives in Florida, and the other is…homosexual…and she never talks to him because he doesn't get along with their parents either."

"Let me guess. Frank?"

"I think so. He's the one who lives in that little blue house. She pointed it out to me when I drove her home. Why did you think that was where Allison lived? Haven't you taken her home before? She lives in that new neighborhood five minutes away from me."

Andrew's face was beginning to turn red, and Claire was starting to realize that maybe she'd said something wrong.

"She…she lives near you?"

"Um, yeah. In that new neighborhood with the big white gates in front of it with all the houses spread really far out."

And that's when it all began to register for Andrew. If Allison lived that close to Claire, in a fancy gated neighborhood, no less, she had to come from a family with just as much (if not more) money than Claire's. She had lied to Andrew about where she lived, about something very important to who she was, and Andrew was a strange mixture of both furious and hurt. He had been trying so hard so far to live up to her standards, to be someone that she could be proud of. And she hadn't even been honest about who she was.

Andrew let himself think about that and stewed in his anger for the rest of the day, until Allison called him that evening. He'd been so angry, he'd completely forgotten they were supposed to have their second official date that following day. Andrew, being the sweet, nice guy that he was, hadn't meant to be so rude to Allison, even though he was angry with her. But it had just come out. He must have been angrier than he thought.

Because Andy's anger wasn't just for himself. Sure, he was jealous that Allison had opened up to Claire instead of him, but it was much more than that. He felt angry for both Bender and Claire as well.

Which was why that Tuesday, after stewing again all day, he had called Bender when he got home from school, since the only place he knew where to find him at school was outside during lunch, and when he'd tried to go out there, he'd seen Bender sitting far off from the other wasteoids, in a secluded parking lot, on top of a car, alone and looking quite furious about something. Andy hadn't wanted to interrupt…. _that. _

He explained the whole story to Bender over the phone.

"So, that's why I was calling. I just needed to vent to someone. And I didn't think it was fair that Claire and I now know, and you and Brian didn't."

"_What?_ You're fucking with me, Sporto. No way. No fucking way. You're telling me Klepto is a richie, too?!"

"Yeah. I mean, I just don't get why she felt she had to keep it from me, and lie about her brothers."

"I'm more interested in what the hell made Klepto think she could keep people from finding out, especially after she told Queenie. I'm not saying that was dumb, but she definitely ain't a Brian Johnson, that's for fucking sure."

"I mean, it's not like I care. I don't care about who or what her parents are or any of that. But I just can't help thinking about detention, and how she let you, and all of us really, pounce on Claire about her status as a rich girl, when she should have been coming to Claire's defense. She just sat there and kept quiet while Claire was in tears over what you said to her. And you….you may not know this, but one of the things she and I talk about is how she feels like you and her are kindred spirits or something, and how much she likes you and Johnson. And she knew how you feel about rich kids and she's been letting you and all of us get close to her when she's one of the very kids you hate so much. At least they're honest about who they are. It's not fair for her to be friends with you and us under false pretenses."

"Damn it, Sporto. I never thought I'd say it, but you're absolutely right. At least fucking Queenie was upfront about it. Klepto has been lying from day one. God, what if I had let her in my fucking house? Klepto's been acting like she was above all the high school shit and the whole time she was more of a fucking phony than any of us. You know what, Sporto? I knew all along that whole basket case goth thing was just a shitty act."

Andrew laughed. He'd known talking to Bender about this was the right thing to do. "You did not, Bender. You were fooled by her lies just like the rest of us."

Meanwhile, Claire had tried to do damage control with Allison. She'd tried to apologize over and over again, but Allison would have none of it. She'd ignore Claire, tell her "Die, Red, die," or simply hang up in her face.

And that was how it was that the five of them were no more. Bender and Andrew would nod at each other if they crossed paths, unless Brian was anywhere around, and in those times Bender would just scowl, while Brian's face turned red. Claire and Andrew remained friendly, until Andy got tired of refusing to talk to her about Allison (which Claire constantly badgered him about, trying to fix her slip up) and just started sitting away from her in study hall. Any time Allison saw Claire she looked like she wanted to commit murder.

Allison had never been so miserable. It was evident to Claire every time she saw her. And Brian could tell that something had happened between Bender and Claire because any time he saw them pass each other, they looked both like they were embarrassed and like they wanted to start making out furiously. But they tried to cover for that longing of missing each other by bumping into each other and saying something like "Watch it," or "out of my way, asshole," or something equally juvenile and transparent.

Claire would say loudly to her girlfriends, "He's such a waste of space," or "Ew, can you believe I actually just touched him? Gross." And Brian would notice the hurt all over Bender's face for just a split second, which quickly turned to anger.

For a while Brian thought that their breakup/fight must've been about Claire finding out about Saidie. But then he noticed that he would often catch Saidie staring at him during Honors English class, and he wondered why she would still seem interested in him if she'd never really been in the first place—if it had all been a hoax started by Bender.

And then he remembered that there had been something sort of strange about the way Saidie had phrased things when she'd talked to him about her relationship with Bender. The way she'd thrown in that Bender had been her first kiss; she said it almost as if it had been charity or something. There was nothing romantic about the way she'd said it. And, for that matter, why had Saidie even brought up the kiss in the first place? Oh, yeah, because she'd been trying to convince Brian that she liked him and that she was just doing something for Bender to repay his friendship to her. Why had she been so adamant about trying to convince Brian she liked him and hoped he'd ask her to hang out again, if he had just been a joke to her? Brian had a sneaking, yet growing, suspicion that he may have done something really dumb, made a mountain out of a molehill, and lost both his good friend and potential first girlfriend in the process.

Allison was having similar regrets. She'd tried to convince herself that Andy just didn't understand her; that the way things had played out between the two of them had been for the best. Then she would think about the way Andy used to look at her and the way he had truly been kinder and sweeter to her than any other person had ever been. And she realized how dumb she'd been to lie to him, to think he wouldn't find out, and to deceive the most judgmental of them all: Bender.

This had been going on for two and a half weeks at this point. Since no one else seemed to be speaking to her, she went to join Brian in the library at lunch one day. She told him everything. Brian told her everything as well, at the end of which Allison said, "Well, that's a stupid reason to give up on this girl. And Bender doesn't care enough to put that much effort into making fun of someone." Brian realized she was smarter than he had been lately.

Allison and Brian knew that they had both been idiots, and that they both were in over their heads and needed to find some way to right their wrongs and bring the group back together. Allison figured she'd eventually be able to clear things up with Claire and Andrew if she really tried, but she knew Bender would be a whole other story, as he probably felt the most betrayed by her omission. Dealing with Bender was not a confrontation she was looking forward to. And Brian knew that by this time Bender probably hated his guts and even if Bender did forgive him, he'd probably never open up as much or be as close with Brian ever again.


	19. You Don't Know Any Of My Friends

_"Sweetheart, your feelings are more important of course, of course"_

_-Razorblade, The Stroke_s

Claire had never been so ashamed of herself. Not only had she orchestrated the events that led to her fight with Bender, but she'd been a complete jerk to him ever since the fight, and said things much worse than the snide comments he'd made to her. She'd said things that she knew cut to his core and highlighted everything about his home life that made him scared, made him not like himself, and caused him to act out at school. She always regretted saying these things immediately after saying them, but that didn't stop her from saying them again the next time she saw him, when she saw that the devilish look of lust he used to give her was now replaced with one of disdain and the look of a pit bull about to attack. It hurt her so badly to see that look; and it made her want to make him feel the same way.

Claire was miserable; she wasn't herself at all. Most people's friends and family would've noticed the change in someone they supposedly cared about, but _her _parents were too busy fighting over her to really notice her, and _her_ friends were too happy to have what seemed like the old Claire back to even notice that she wasn't her normal happy-go-lucky self.

On top of that, she'd completely destroyed her friendship with Allison, the only person she felt she could really talk to about things. Allison wasn't superficial; she was deep. She didn't just tell Claire what she wanted to hear; she was completely honest with her, even if it hurt. Claire had known that was the kind of person Allison was from the moment Allison had said, _"Ha!"_ in response to Claire whining about her parents in detention. And Claire needed someone like that in her life. And she had ruined it.

That was why she was thrilled to see Allison approaching her car after school as she was fumbling in her purse for her keys.

"Hi, Alli! I'm so sor—" she started before Allison cut her off.

"It wasn't your fault. You had no way of knowing what a liar I was."

Claire was taken aback. She had no idea what had caused Allison to start talking to her again, but she was grateful for it. She just nodded. Then, she decided to test the waters and said, "Do you want a ride home?"

Allison just stared at her with that way she had. It seemed, to Claire, like forever before she responded. Finally she just squeaked and nodded.

Very little was said during the car ride. Claire said, "I feel really bad that I, like, caused trouble for you and Andy. I promise I'll keep my mouth shut. From now on anything we discuss will be just between us girls."

Allison still didn't say anything. She just smiled, and Claire knew that that was as close as she was going to get to a mushy display of forgiveness from Allison.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, but Claire didn't even care. She was just happy to have Allison back in her corner again.

As Allison got out of the car, she said, "'Bye, Claire. Could you give this to Andrew tomorrow when you see him?" and then she handed Claire a small scroll and a note. Claire resisted the temptation to look at it or ask what it was. "Sure, Alli. See ya."

And she watched Allison go into the house, then drove off.

The next day, Claire saw Bender in the hallway on her way to study hall, and her heart began to pound. He was laughing and talking with Freddie and the same weirdly dressed black girl she'd seen him with before. He looked happy. It was the first time she'd seen him happy since their fight.

Claire noticed that, when she really thought about it, those two people were much different from what she'd been expecting any friends of Bender's to be. She had expected a lot of big muscular guys with wild hair, leather, tattoos, and more jingly chains; but Freddie had really long, curly, jet-black hair (much longer than Bender's), only one piercing in his right ear, and no visible tattoos. He was bony with no hint of muscle to speak of, and dressed in really baggy jeans and wore tight black t-shirts every day. If it weren't for his rock-star good looks and t-shirt designs, Claire would have thought he reminded her of Brian a little.

And the girl? Well, Claire would define her as…weird. There was no other word for it. She was small (_very _small), and had a very feminine figure and air about her that she seemed to be trying to hide under loose fitting skirts or jeans, and loose shirts that still did a terrible job of hiding a chest that was much bigger than Claire's. The girl seemed so petite and meek that she definitely didn't strike one as the kind who could hold her own hanging out with a bunch of metalhead guys.

Watching them all together, without even realizing she'd stopped and was watching them, Claire thought about what an odd group they made. And then she thought about what Bender had yelled at her in detention after he'd scolded her for being a bitch: "_You don't know any of my friends. You don't look at any of my friends. And you certainly wouldn't condescend to speak to any of my friends."  
_

Well, wrong on two counts. She didn't know them, but she'd gone up to Freddie and spoken to him (even if it had been for silly, girly-drama reasons), and she was definitely looking at them now._ It figures, _she thought, _of course it'd be Bender, the rebel, to be the one out of all us to have the least clichéd group of friends ever. _She smiled to herself. It all just made her like Bender even more.

And then two things happened at almost the same moment. First, Claire remembered Freddie telling her that he knew about her; that Bender had spoken to him about her. Why hadn't that that registered in her brain before? Claire internally scolded herself; she'd been so silly, trying to make Bender jealous and basically ruining things with him all because he didn't call her one stupid weekend, and Bender—Mr. "I Don't Do One Guy; One Girl"— was all the while talking to other guys that he hung out with about her. That information; just knowing that she mattered at least that much to him—that was worth way more than a phone call.

The second thing that happened was that Bender finally took notice of her. He looked over at her, at first about to go into his normal scowling look, but then just staring intently. Claire tried to compose herself, and did so enough to be able to actually smile at Bender. She hoped he took it as a genuine, warm smile, and not their usual devious ones they'd given each other in the past. Bender just raised his eyebrows, giving her a quizzical once-over, and then went off behind his friends. Well, it was at least better than his scowl.

Claire headed off to study hall, with Allison's package to Andrew in hand.

He looked up at her when she dropped it in front of him. "It's from Allison. Please, just open it." Claire was dying to know what it was, and she was sure that Andrew was as well.

Their eyes both went wide at the sight of the painting and note in front of them. It was a drawing of Andrew and a note saying, "Sorry I lied." Short, quiet, and to the point. Just like Allison. Andrew gave a little, simple smile, and Claire could tell he'd missed her, too.

She felt the need to say _something. _"I don't think she's expecting you to forgive her right away. I think she's just asking for you to give her a chance to explain. Just a chance for you to, like, hear her out and then decide if you'll forgive her."

"Claire? Can you arrange for us all to get together tomorrow? After school? I… I want to see her."

Claire nodded. What she realized was that Andrew had already basically forgiven Allison, before she'd even had a chance to fully apologize, and that he was doing it not just because she cared enough to not let him give up on her, but because he _missed _her, and that was all there was to it. It was actually kind of romantic, if Claire really thought about it. She couldn't help but wonder if Bender missed her.

Brian had come to school prepared to eat a slice of humble pie himself that morning. He had brought Bender lunch again for the first time in almost three weeks. He found himself very nervous as he walked up to Bender's locker (you could always tell because of the graphic graffiti on it) and opened it. He'd had Allison steal the lock again, so he could get in. She'd given it to him, and after Brian put a lunch inside for Bender, Brian put the lock back on. He hoped Bender hadn't yet noticed it was missing. He'd know right away it was Allison; she was the only one who'd ever have the guts to steal from him. Brian didn't want to give Bender another reason to be upset with Alison.

He spent the rest of the morning curious about what Bender would think, if he would know the lunch was from Brian, and what his reaction would be.

Finding himself being bolder than ever, at lunchtime he went outside in search of Bender. He walked pass the burnout smoking wall, saying hello to Freddie as he passed, and asking him if he knew where Bender was. Freddie shrugged and said, "If he's not at my car, I dunno."

And he wasn't. Brian couldn't find him anywhere. Then he remembered something.

He found Bender sitting alone on the steps at the back of the school, smoking and eating the lunch Brian had left in his locker.

Bender looked up when saw Brian, and looked like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Ah, fuck," Bender said to himself. To Brian he said, "What are you going to accuse me of today? Arson? A bombing? Just get the hell out of here."

Brian considered retreating. Bender was obviously still very angry with him about what he'd accused him of doing. But he hadn't come this far just to not even try.

He turned back to Bender and blurted out, "What happened to Larry sort of happened to me."

And Bender turned to look at him with wide eyes. "_What?_" he asked.

"Larry Lester. Well, not as bad as what happened to him, but…I was tutoring this guy, last year in 8th grade, and we sort of became friends. That is, I…wrong, and misunderstood, and we talked but it didn't l-last. It was…kind of like, detention. We…planned to hang out outside of school and it was cool until some of the guys from school showed up. He…didn't want to be seen as friends with me in public, so….he played it off like I had run into him and bugged him. The other guys started messing with me, so I told them what idiots they were and to leave me alone…" he trailed off and closed his eyes for a second, as if collecting himself, and Bender couldn't help but think "_Good for the dweebie, standing up for himself to those assholes. He's got bigger balls than even I woulda thought."_

Then Brian finished his story. "They…didn't like being talked to that way, so they…."

Bender braced himself for what was about to come. "They what?"

"They pounced on me. I-in front of everyone; half the kids from school were there. No one helped. And the guy who I thought was my friend joined in and pounced on me too."

Brian's face had gotten red like it did in detention when he finally snapped and told them why he was in there. Bender could tell he was crying, obviously still very hurt.

"The worst part… the worst part is that more than anything I was mad at myself. I felt like I'd done something wrong to make them not accept me, and I felt stupid for believing that a guy like that would want to be friends with me. They must have thought I was gay, because they started calling me faggot and one of them tried to stick a pool stick…."

He couldn't even finish. He didn't have to. Bender knew what he was going to say. How awful. Then he thought how it must have felt when Brian saw the mess on his locker when they had gone there in detention. He hadn't meant it. He had just had a rough night with his father and was still pretty angry when he got to school the day he'd put that on his locker. And he'd just wanted anything to lash out at.

He couldn't stop himself from being physically upset and disgusted at the thought of some stupid fucking popular kids beating the shit out of Brian for no reason at all. Part of him wanted to ask for names so he could kick these guys' asses himself.

Instead, he just sat there as Brian cried a little, and then he said, "So….why are you reliving this? Telling me about it?"

"I…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for thinking you were playing a trick on me. I just wanted you to know why I was so quick to jump to such a…a terrible conclusion out about you. It wasn't your fault."

"Forget it. Don't even worry about it. It's forgotten." Bender said. And Brian knew that was his way of saying he was forgiven. Bender wasn't normally quite this forgiving, but he knew how hard it had been for Brian to tell him that, and he definitely knew what it was like to be hit and not have any control over it. He could defend himself; he was a survivor. But Brian certainly didn't deserve to be treated like that. And Bender would do all he could to make sure it never happened again.

"So, dweebie," Bender said, and Brian knew he was really forgiven then, "you know I'm not the only one you owe an apology, too, right?"

Brian nodded. Saidie. He'd been making sure he came to class at the last second to avoid having to talk to her, because the truth was without Bender's support, he didn't know if he had what it took to court Saidie.

"Is she really upset with me?" Brian asked. Bender nodded, smirked and said, "No. Not really. She blames herself, actually. She definitely still likes you."

Brian nodded again. That was a relief. Bender held the joint out to him and Brian shook his head. "I don't think this is the proper area for this kind of conduct." He said. And he was right. It wasn't nearly as inconspicuous as the burnout area or the secluded area of the parking lot where Freddie always parked.

Bender just grinned. "Same old dweebie." He said.

Claire called pretty much everyone in the group that evening. She spent the most time talking to Allison, telling her all about how happy Andrew had been with the drawing of him, and how she was so sure that everything would be completely patched up between them in no time. She arranged for the group to get together at the same restaurant they'd originally been to the first time they got together after detention.

The only person she didn't call was Bender. She was astute enough to realize it was a much better idea for Brian to make that call. Bender would probably outright refuse if she made the call.

But when Brian called him, Bender had no problem agreeing to go. He wasn't thrilled about being around Allison, who he still had issues with, but he thought it was at least be amusing to see how Queenie handled herself being in the same room with him after their fight. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of his not coming so that she could think he was still even thinking about her…even if he actually was. He still hadn't figured out what had caused Claire to act the way she had. They'd stopped speaking because she'd badgered him about other girls...but why had she even cared when she'd been flirting with his friend that very same morning before the fight?

Allison was both happy and nervous to hear that the group was getting back together. She couldn't wait to hang out with them again, and find out what had been going on with everyone else, but she also knew that there was something important she had to do when they all got together again. She had to tell them all, especially Andrew, the truth. All of it. Even the parts that Claire didn't know.


	20. Honest

_"And I feel crazy..._  
_Cause I didn't say anything._

_I wish you would tell me how you really feel._

_But you'll never tell me,_  
_cause that's not our deal."_

_-Our Deal, Best Coast_

If any of the Club had been nervous about getting together again as five for the first time in a month, it didn't seem to show as they all arrived at the family restaurant called The Hut. Claire had given Allison a ride there, and Bender and Brian had climbed into Andy's truck when the three guys had been unable to find the girls after school.

Allison, for her part, found it difficult to contain her nerves as she and Claire saw the boys pull up not long behind them. This was the first time she'd come face to face in any significant manner with Andrew since their fight.

But her worry and anxiety proved to be unfounded. As soon as Andrew saw her, he smiled wide and went up to her and took her hand, kissing it and then kissing her lips.

Bender rolled his eyes, and Brian and Claire smiled at each other as they turned to walk inside.

As was to be expected, the meal began with a bit of awkwardness. It seemed no one wanted to be the first to say anything. Claire, feeling like since she was the one to coordinate the get-together she should take charge (even if it _was_ Andy's idea), finally broke the silence. "So, what's, like, new with everyone?"

She hoped that would be enough to lighten the mood.

"I won a Physics competition." Brian said proudly. Bender snorted, "Won't Mrs. Johnson be proud. Maybe she'll reward you with a new chemistry set or some new underwear." He retorted. Brian blushed and Bender, who was sitting next to him, laughed and nudged him. He certainly got a kick out of making Brian uncomfortable.

And Brian was blushing because Bender mentioning his underwear made him think of Bender stuffing the bag down his pants. He had actually stuck his hand inside of Brian's underwear. It was the weirdest thing that had ever happened to him, and Brian began to suspect that part of the reason Bender had singled him out as a confidant within the group was because once you get that familiar with someone's skin and genital area, there really isn't much you need to hide from them, or them from you. Brian hadn't thought about it that way before, but that was mostly because he was too freaked out by the thrill of storing marijuana for the school rebel.

A squeak from Allison brought Brian out of his thoughts. "I just wanted to apologize to all of you. I shouldn't have lied. You guys told me some pretty heavy things, and I've been keeping my heavy stuff from you all. That was pretty shitty of me."

Claire, Andrew, and Brian all mumbled detractions and versions of "It's okay, we understand, we forgive you."

But Bender was not to be moved. He just glared right at Allison and said, "Claire was right about you. In detention. When she said you didn't talk all day, and when you did you unloaded a bunch of lies on her. That's exactly what you did to all of us. The rest of us, even Sporto and _Claire,_" he said her name with emphasis, eyeballing her for a second, "practically bared our souls to you, and all you did was sit there and let me berate Claire and watch her…watch her _cry _knowing that you were _Just. Like. Her. _Actually, worse. Because at least _she _never pretended that she was something other than who she is. _You _walk around with your well-worn baggy clothes and shaggy hair and your big, dirty, oversized bag as if any of that changes who you really are. You're a fake. A total phony."

During Bender's rant, Brian had definitely been impressed by how serious Bender was. This was the first time since detention that he'd heard Bender go so long without using "the f-word", and it had sounded just… weird. Not only that, but he'd called Claire by her actual name not once, not twice, but three times. He definitely meant business.

Looking at Claire's face, Brian realized she had definitely noticed it, too.

And she had. The truth was, Claire realized that the fight had done nothing to stop her from developing some indescribable but strong feelings for John Bender. She'd thought about him ever since she saw him in the hallway with his friends, realizing he was the most fascinating guy she'd ever met in her sixteen years. And now, even though she'd hated it when she first met him, she would give anything just to have him smile at her in that damn sexy way he had, and call her "Cherry."

Andrew felt like he should speak up on the behalf of his girlfriend. "Now, wait a minute, Bender—" he started.

Allison touched his shoulder, cutting him off. "It's okay," she said quietly. "Bender has a right to say that. I haven't given him, or any of you, a reason to think anything different." She blew on her bangs and looked up at her friends, one by one.

"I…I want to be honest with you guys. The truth is, Bender is right to be mad at me. But…you're wrong about this not being who I am. Because it is. My parents have money. I don't. And I never will. Not from them, anyway."

Four pairs of intrigued eyes looked at her. She had their full attention, and continued, "I wasn't lying to you, Andrew, when I said my parents ignore me. I just never said why. Partially it's because of the jobs they have; I barely see them. But mostly it's because of my brother, Frank. Most of you know that he's gay. That part is true. And he did live in New York at one point. See, my parents kind of disowned him when they found out he was gay. I took his side, and our parents never forgave me for it. They've been punishing me ever since. They took away my inheritance, give me three squares a day, and otherwise have nothing to do with me. They've made it clear that once I turn 18, I'm on my own. They'll be completely done with me. I kept in touch with Frank through writing letters, and sometimes on the phone, until my parents found out. They pretty much ended that. That's why Frank moved back to town. So we could still be together. My parents don't even know he lives here again. No one does but me. And Claire. And now you guys."

Allison had stunned them all into silence. They all looked around at each other as if they couldn't believe what they'd just heard.

Bender looked at Allison with what was, for him, as close to a look of compassion as he could muster. "I think I'm starting to understand why you said what you said in detention about our hearts dying when we grow up. Adults are fucking pricks. And I swear to God, _I'll _never be like that." He said, and Allison knew that she and Bender were going to be alright.

And suddenly it was like detention again. Andrew spoke up, "I wasn't completely honest with you guys, either, you know, if I think about it. I didn't really tape Larry Lester's buns together because of my father. Well, in a way, I did. But I did it mostly because I wanted to get kicked off the team, and that way it'd be out of my hands, and I wouldn't have to deal with my dad. And I was hoping that that would do it. I still feel like an asshole."

While the others didn't know how to respond to that, Allison was blunt. "Why don't you just quit?" she asked.

Andrew shrugged. "I dunno. I guess because I know if I do, then I have no future, and that scares me. I don't know how else I'd pay for college…or even get into college. I'm not smart like Johnson."

Brian blushed at that. He never knew how to take it when people complimented him. "Well, your grades don't have to be perfect, Andy," he said, "they just have to be good. Your grades must be okay; wrestling, and academic requirements, and all."

"I guess so." Andy said.

"Look, Sporto, what would you do with your life if it were completely up to you?" Bender asked.

"I'd go to a culinary school in New York or something. Get a job as a chef, pay my dues. Schmooze with the rich people, find some investors, open my own restaurant. Maybe open a few in California. Hopefully become rich enough to buy a team." Andrew replied without hesitation.

"That's a pretty thorough plan off the top of your head for someone who can't even think for themselves." Bender retorted. That made them all laugh.

Allison and Brian seemed to notice at the same time that Claire had been awfully quiet pretty much the entire time they'd been there. They both realized the other had noticed, when they caught each other's eye.

"Um, Claire? Are you okay?" Brian asked. They all looked at her. Even Bender. It was then that Claire realized that by not saying anything at all, by not teasing her or being his usual obnoxious self, Bender was being more civilized to her than she'd ever imagined he could be. Surprisingly, she found she hated it. She'd expected him to torture her much more than usual since technically they were still fighting, but he wasn't. He wasn't being anything at all to her. Claire realized that he…he was just _tolerating _her.

She swallowed back the realization and tried to appear casual. "Um, yeah. I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess. Long day."

"Should we go?" Andrew asked. They all seemed to agree that they'd been there long enough, and if Claire was tired, they should get her home before she was too exhausted to get behind the wheel. "I'll ride with her to make sure she's okay." Brian said once they were back outside.

"So, does anyone want to come to the art show at the community center this Saturday evening? They're having a showcase for young artists, and a few of my things are going to be in it." Allison asked.

Andrew smiled and nodded, hugging Allison close to him. "Sure, I'll come." Claire said, proud of her friend. Bender agreed that he'd go. Anything to keep himself out of the house as much as possible.

"What about you, Brian?" Allison asked. Brian grinned wider than anyone had ever seen him grin.

"I can't," he said, "I have a date." He looked at Bender, who suddenly matched his grin. "Yeah? You did it, you asked her out for real?!" Bender said, sounding actually excited. "Good for you, dweebie." He said, patting Brian on the back.

Andy and Allison congratulated him as they climbed into Andy's truck, not wanting to pry by questioning him.

Claire said her goodbyes to them, as Brian and Bender laughed and talked quietly together. Once they pulled off, Claire sighed quietly to herself. It was time to be a big girl and have a conversation she knew wasn't going to be easy.

Walking over to the guys, she said, "Bender, do you need a ride?" "Nah. I'm good. I'm just going to walk to Freddie's." he said.

Claire nodded. "Hey, Brian, do you mind if I talk to Bender alone for a minute? Can you wait for me in the car?" Brian nodded, took Claire's keys, and walked off. Finally she was alone with Bender. His eyes were fixed on her, as hypnotizing and chocolate-looking as ever.

"What's up, Queenie?" he asked, appearing to be the picture of cool and calm.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about the fight we had. It was totally my fault. I was, like, being such a child. "

Bender smiled a normal smile. "I shouldn't have called you a bitch, either. At least not that time. I should have listened to whatever you had to say."

"I've actually, like, missed you." Claire revealed.

And finally she got a genuine Bender smirk. "Well, well, well. High praise from the future prom queen."

Claire laughed, absolutely giddy. "I just wanted you to know that. That I was sorry. And that I was hoping we could be back on speaking terms."

Bender nodded. "Sure, Princess." Claire nodded, too. Something seemed a bit off. She hadn't expected him to make up with her that easily. The others, maybe. But definitely not her. Something was off.

"So…" Bender said, obviously sensing it, too. "I hear the word around the Shermer hellhole is that Dan Hogan asked you out."

Claire blushed. "Um, yeah. He did. I wasn't, like, going to go or anything." she said.

"You weren't?"

"No. I thought…I hoped you and I would make up and—"

"—I think you should go." Bender said.

"You…you what?"

"Just go, Claire. Look, we're not mad at each other anymore, but it's not like I expect you to stop living your life on account of me. Just because _we _failed miserably, as expected, doesn't mean it's gotta be awkward if you go out with someone else. We were right, we're just too different. Doesn't mean we can't be friends or be around each other with Sporto and Big Bri and Klepto. I couldn't care less if you go out with Dan." Bender spit out, looking right at her.

Claire felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. "Oh…Um, okay." She said, just wanting desperately to get out of there before she started crying.

"See ya around, Princess." Bender said as he walked away from her, not looking at all phased, not even noticing that Claire's heart was breaking.

As soon as he was gone, Claire rushed over to her car in tears. She'd forgotten Brian was in the passenger seat waiting for her. He caught her by surprise when he said, "Claire, what's wrong?"

Claire turned to him, and he could see the pain all over her face. "Oh, Claire." He said, pulling her into a hug, "He doesn't even care anymore. I screwed everything up." She said, sobbing.

Claire had never thought something like this could happen to her; she never thought she could feel this bad. She'd never put herself out there for a guy before; never felt for a guy what she'd felt for Bender, even if it had only been about two months. She had tried so hard not to be a bitch; tried to give in to her attraction to Bender, and she'd screwed it all up and lost him by acting like a child; like the spoiled brat she really was.


	21. Fiery Redheads

_"Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school_  
_I hate the teachers and the principal._  
_Don't wanna be taught to be no fool."_

_-Rock 'N 'Roll High School, The Ramones_

That was on a Wednesday. On Thursday, Bender found himself again at Allison's locker, making plans for the two of them for that evening, since Andrew had practice _and _a football summer training planning meeting, as the school year was drawing closer and closer to its end.

As Bender walked away from her locker, he thought about how, if you really got right down to it, he would have made a great athlete, from a mental perspective. He was the guy who always got a good read on people. That could help him think on his feet in a big game. He knew all about going on the defensive, about being territorial, defending titles, defending yourself and what was yours. That was definitely something any good coach would appreciate. But besides the fact that Bender abhorred the idea of participating in organized sports where he wasn't the one in control, there were two other things that kept him from being another Andrew Clark: his inability to admit when it was time to forfeit the game, and his inability make a decision that was best for the team.

And that was exactly what made him idiotically think that what he said to Claire outside The Hut was not only the right thing for both of them, but how he honestly felt. He really _didn't _care that she was going to go out with Dan Hogan, but not for the reasons that it seemed. He didn't own Claire, and their fight had proved that they had no business together as a couple, but that didn't mean they couldn't express their feelings in a less serious way. They could still hang out as friends and make out when they were together. It never occurred to Bender that this might be an awful plan, and maybe it was time to forfeit his heart to Claire, and take a real risk for a change.

It was clear to him that Claire would never take him seriously as a…a _suitor _for her heart (the fight had opened his eyes to the fact that she was a true Princess who'd expect his complete devotion, admiration, and loyalty), and Bender planned to keep things as casual and friendly as possible to prevent himself from thinking otherwise. Even if he failed, he knew that Dan Hogan could never be serious competition for a John Bender. On paper, sure, Dan Hogan was the obvious choice, but in the things that teenaged girls cared about and gossiped with each other about—the things that really counted in a romantic sense—Dan Hogan was no match for a John Bender. So he really couldn't care less how many times Claire might go out with the guy.

Which was why instead of doing the whole "I'm sorry-I'm-sorry-too-let's kiss-and-make-up" that a part of him wanted to do, he did the thing he thought was best for his heart, and for his friendship with Claire. He gave her his okay for them both to move on. They had nothing in common. Been there, done that, why go back?

He was looking forward to going to see _Rock 'n' Roll High School _that evening with Allison at one of those tiny theaters that showed not-so-new movies, and forgetting all about Claire and how she and the dweebie were trying to turn his life into the last thing he wanted: a high school melodrama.

Andrew, on the other side of school, was beginning to realize the moment of truth that he'd been dreading since detention; the one that he thought maybe he could avoid after Allison had come up with her clever idea, was drawing in on him.

Thinking not with his head, but with his heart, Andrew had put the sketch Allison had done of him up in his locker. He'd been so proud of her, and so proud that she'd thought of him as a worthy subject, that he hadn't been able to resist putting it up. It wasn't as if he was like Claire, who always had her friends crowded around her locker. The most he and his friends communicated in the halls was a nod or yelling to each other from across the hallway, or a pat on the back or punch on the arm. He didn't think his jock friends would ever even notice.

He was wrong.

"Clark! Clark!" he heard his best friend Stubbie coming toward him. Andrew would know his voice anywhere. He turned to look for Stubbie and saw him smiling as he approached in large strides. Andrew never could get away from him, even if he wanted to. Stubbie was not only on the wrestling team, but on the track team as well, and no one could outrun him.

"Hey, Stubbie." Andy said, "How's it going?"

"Dude, I've been searching for you all day. Where ya been hiding?"

Andrew shrugged. "I've been around," was all he said.

"You'll never believe it, there's a scout coming from California to look at me. And, on top of that, there's this cute new cheerleader I'm thinking of asking out, and word is she has a twin sister who goes to one of those artsy private schools. I'm thinking double date, huh?"

Andy swallowed. He knew from talking to Claire that she'd already done a fair amount of lying to her friends to protect her friendship with the Club. He'd been so happy that he'd been able to avoid that so far. But it looked like that had finally come to an end. He didn't believe in auras and seeing into the future and all that stuff that Allison once told him she believed in, but even he had seen _this_ coming.

"Uh, I can't, Stubbie. My dad's taking me out of town to my aunt's cabin for some intense training and all." He lied.

Stubbie had the same look on his face that he often had, Andrew noticed, in geometry class. "But I didn't even say what day, and—"

Andrew looked up at him to see why he had stopped talking, not that he was complaining about not having to answer for _that_.

That is, until he saw where Stubbie was looking. He was eyeing the picture Allison had drawn of him.

"What the hell is this? Is that supposed to be you?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah." Andy said. He'd always had trouble lying. It just wasn't in what Bender would call his "run-of-the-mill-white-bread-All-American-Boy-nature".Once was more than enough.

Stubbie laughed. "Real cute, Clark. Who drew it? Your little sister?"

That pissed Andrew off. It took a lot to do that. "You know I don't even have a sister."

Stubbie must have seen the upset on Andrew's face because he stopped laughing.

"It was a joke, dude. Come on, who gave you that? One of the cheerleaders?"

"Lay off, Stubbie."

"It's actually really good. Too good. Almost professional. Like something one of those freaky art kids who wear all black and sit in the back of the cafeteria would have done."

Andrew turned red, and his blue eyes almost closed. "Drop it." he said, trying to sound threatening to Stubbie, as he slammed his locker and they began to walk off.

And Stubbie did drop it. But he couldn't help but remember something he'd heard but didn't want to believe at the time. He was pretty sure their friend Will had said something about thinking he saw Andrew Clark in the art room one day talking up some goth girl.

It wasn't very often that Bender hung out with girls, or anyone really, with no expectations. Mostly because no one gave him the time of day without any expectations of their own. Nobody except Freddie and Saidie, and now, most of the members of the Breakfast Club.

He had more fun than expected at the movies with Allison that night. He realized that his friend Klepto was a lot less crazy than she would have people believe, and Allison realized Bender had a lot more kid in him than the mature version of himself he presented to the world. She thought it was cute, and that it humanized him as more than just the larger-than-life presence he'd seemed when she first met him.

During the movie, it was interesting to both of them to see how they both laughed at the same parts and cringed at the same parts, and during the songs they bobbed their heads in sort of similar ways.

When it was over, they walked out together, pumped and chatting away. "Sporto's not going to try to kick my ass or anything, is he?" Bender asked sarcastically.

Allison smiled that devious smile. "No. Don't worry, he doesn't see you as a threat, criminal." She teased.

Bender gave her as good as he got in the devious look department.

"So, were you surprised to hear that I like this movie, too?" Allison asked.

"Too? What do you mean, too? I never said I liked it."

Allison didn't reply. She just stared at him. Then she finally said, "You said you've seen it eight times. Nine now."

"Okay, fine. I like it. For the music. But I fucking hate it just as much as I like it. Bunch of fucking pseudo rebel punks who have no fucking clue what it means to rock out, and absolutely nothing to rebel against except the big bad teacher hurting their little feelings by insulting the music they pretend to listen to because they think it makes them cool."

"What a tortured soul you are, Bender." Allison teased again. Bender just rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, though, I think that's the whole point. Togar has her panties in a bunch about these kids listening to The Ramones because she's afraid it's turning all the students into a bunch of criminal badasses such as yourself or something. When in reality, they're the whitest, non-badass, squeakiest clean kids ever. I think the point is supposed to be how silly it is to think music can affect a person that way. It's kind of like Vernon. He's too busy hating us for who he thinks we are, to actually look at us and see what we're really like." Allison said, thoughtfully.

Bender shrugged. But then he said, "Well said, Klepto."

After a few moments of silence, Bender kind of laughed to himself and said, "You know, in there, in the movie, what I was thinking? That Tom guy? He kind of reminds me of some weird science-experiment-gone-bad version of a cross between Sporto and Big Bri."

This got a genuine guffaw out of Allison. "Yeah, I see it, too. I don't know; there's something kind of hot about Tom. In a weird sort of way."

Bender smirked at her. "And you know weird, that's for fucking sure."

Allison elbowed him in the stomach. "And let me guess," she said, "You're more of a normal kind of guy. I bet you thought Riff was hot."

"No fucking way. I hate P.J. Soles. She annoyed the hell out of me in that, and in _Halloween."_

"You're kidding. She's the classic blond beauty. At least, that's what I hear."

"Do I look like I'm the type who's into classic? You know me better than that by now, Klepto." Bender said. As they walked towards the street corner where they would part, Bender continued, before he could even realize the implications of what he was saying, "Besides, I've always preferred fiery redheads."

As he internally kicked himself for saying it, Allison beamed from ear to ear, squeaked a goodbye, and disappeared before Bender could try to cover for what he'd just said.


	22. Open-Minded

_"Ten decisions shape your life,_  
_you'll be aware of 5 about,_  
_7 ways to go through school,_  
_either you're noticed or left out"_

_-I'll Try Anything Once, The Strokes_

It wasn't that unusual for members of the Club to go through a whole day without seeing each other. In fact, they could easily pull it off if any of them wanted to. The school was big enough, and given that they were five very different people who ran in different social groups, they never had much reason to be on the same halls.

In Claire's case, avoidance had definitely been the name of the game. She'd made an effort to not be around other members of the club ever since she'd last spoken to Bender. The last time she spoke to him she'd been thinking that maybe she could change his mind about the one guy, one girl thing if she apologized and explained to him that the reason she'd instigated that whole fight in the first place was because she liked him so damn much and was just hurt that he didn't call her. But once he'd said that he didn't care if she went out with someone else, all bets were off. Claire was hurt and didn't know how she'd be able to face the group any time soon. She'd again gone back to her old friends; in less than a day it was like she'd never left. But knowing them, it was more like they'd been too self-absorbed to even notice that she'd been distant from them.

But there was one member of the group she couldn't avoid: Brian. Brian was the only one who knew Claire's true feelings on how things had played out between her and Bender. He'd been there for her reaction, and he'd been the one to comfort her. He was the only one she could talk to about it. And she had sworn him to secrecy.

It wasn't just one-sided though. Brian had needed someone to talk to in advance of his date with Saidie. During their almost nightly phone conversations, while Brian comforted Claire over Bender, Claire gave Brian girl advice. She could tell by how intently he was listening that he was really interested in this girl, whoever she was. Claire thought whoever she was, she was lucky to be going out with such a simple, sweet, guy…instead of being slightly hung up on some complicated rebel who made fun of everything she did.

She had no idea that the girl Brian was crushing on was a friend of Bender's. Somehow, that had never come up between Brian and Claire. She only knew it was a girl from school.

She passed by Bender and Saidie in the hallway, and Bender actually nodded at her. _Well, at least he doesn't hate me, _Claire thought to herself.

Bender and Saidie had been talking about Brian. Saidie was having a minor freakout.

"For once, I wish I actually had friends other than you and Freddie. You know, actual girls." Saidie said, nervously.

"What's wrong with me and Freddie?" Bender asked.

"Nothing. I'd rather have you two than anyone else. But it's times like this when it kinda sucks to have no girlfriends. I'm supposed to be going out with Brian tomorrow, and I have no idea what to wear, what to say, who I talk to about it afterwards."

"Take it from me; Big Bri couldn't give two shits about what you wear. And…you can talk to me." Bender said, surprisingly, without hesitation.

Saidie stopped in her tracks. Her slightly long jet black hair swung in its ponytail. "Really? You?" she asked.

Bender huffed. "What the hell kind of response is that?"

"You've never cared to talked about any of my dates before. And you never tell me about yours."

"That's because you never told me you _wanted _to talk about 'em. And you _know _as well as anyone that I don't fucking have dates. I hang." Bender said nonchalantly.

"You told me you had one with that Claire girl." Saidie argued. "Yeah. And look how that turned out. The next time I saw her, she was flirting with Freddie, and told me she wanted nothing else to do with me." Bender responded.

"I thought you said you were friends again." Saidie inquired.

"We are. And that's it. Quit grilling me." Bender said.

And that was how Saidie knew that Bender wasn't yet emotionally unattached to this girl. Bender had no problems talking about most things. He was just that honest. It was only when he was emotionally attached to something that he had trouble expressing himself.

"And quit being so fucking fidgety, why the hell are you freaking out so much?" Bender added.

"I just don't know what I'm gonna do. I mean, most guys, even the smart ones, like girly girls. Which obviously I'm not," she said, looking down at herself insecurely. That day she was wearing skin tight jeans, Chuck Taylor shoes, and an oversized baseball jersey. Bender knew that partially she was right; she was far from girly; in fact, at most times Saidie was a borderline tomboy. She only wore dresses to spice up her weird wardrobe. You never knew what she would look like from day to day.

But that day, Bender wanted to tell her that none of that mattered to guys, especially guys like Brian. "Saidie. You got all the right fucking body parts, don't ya? Then you're good. The dweebie had to work up the balls to even ask you out. It'll be fine. You're in, you're out, and then I'll come sleep at your house and you can tell me all about it," Bender said, putting his arm around her in a rough, but friendly, way.

When Saidie's parents had first met Bender, they'd been shocked at their daughter associating with someone like him. They had always wanted her to associate more with girls, and be more feminine; but even if she was going to hang around with boys they couldn't understand why it had to be someone like Bender. He was everything that Saidie wasn't. He was rough, smart-mouthed, rebellious, and too experienced in the world. They just thought they'd done something wrong to make Saidie rebel against them and hang out with Bender's kind; or that the other white kids at school hadn't accepted her and had discriminated against her, and that she was forced to hang out with people like him just to have friends.

But neither of those was the case. Eventually Judge Heyer and Pastor Heyer had come to understand that Saidie saw something in Bender that most people just didn't bother to. And once they eventually began to suspect that their daughter's dearest friend had a less than ideal home life (though they had no idea how bad it was), they had no problem with the friendship or the fact that Bender sometimes spent the night on their couch.

And it was moments like the one they were having now that were exactly the reason why Saidie was friends with_ him_, of all people.

But it was a more typical moment when Bender said, as they walked off to class together, "And, Saidie? If you're really hard-up for friends of the female sex, I could always introduce you to one of my wallet friends."

Saidie laughed at that. "Um, yeah, no thanks. At all. Never. Ever." She said.

By the time Saturday arrived, Brian had worked himself into a frenzy of nerves. Bender had scoffed when Brian told him about Andy wanting him there on the first Andy/Allison date, but now Brian was beginning to understand Andrew's weird request all too well. He had no idea what he was supposed to do alone with a girl for the first time. He knew that if he'd talked to Bender about it, Bender would have been more than willing to help. But Bender's advice would simply have made him blush (or maybe not; maybe Bender would have just threatened him to keep his hand off of Saidie, since he'd told Brian that Saidie was like a sister). And Andy was no good; by the end of Guys' Night Out, he'd been muttering about how everything he knew about girls had been wrong. And his school friends were just as inexperienced as he was.

So Brian was on his own. Claire had been kind enough to come over after school on Friday to help him pick out something to wear. Because Brian was so tall, he was able to fit into some of the designer jeans she'd found in her older brother Cooper's closet (he often left clothes behind when he came back to Shermer to visit Claire and their parents, which was fairly regularly), so she'd let him borrow a pair of those, telling him they'd never be missed. To that they added a red T-shirt with some kind of logo on it (one that neither of them understood, but Bender had sworn would look cool on Brian when he'd helped him pick it out before Guys' Night Out), and a pair of red Nikes similar to the blue ones Brian had worn in detention. Even Claire had to admit; the shirt did something to make Brian's cloudy, misty blue eyes pop, and he looked absolutely great. But once that was done, Brian was on his own.

It had taken some work for him to even be able to go out on a date. For one thing, his mother was still furious with him for getting detention, and she thought he was too young to be dating—dating, to her, was frivolous and something that could wait until he was making big money as an engineer or a doctor or something. But Brian's father had changed a little since detention. While Mrs. Johnson pretended to ignore the entire reason Brian had been in detention, Mr. Johnson had been horrified, and had held back on Brian a little. Brian's mother saw him as nothing more than a brain and a meal ticket, but Mr. Johnson loved his son dearly, and didn't want to risk making him so stressed he considered suicide again. It had been the biggest argument Brian had seen his parents have. Mr. Johnson had stood up for him and Brian had heard him tell Mrs. Johnson that he'd be damned before he let her push their son to kill himself. "The boy has done nothing but work, work, work since the day he started first grade; he deserves a little fun!" Mr. Johnson had yelled.

And then he'd gone into Brian's room and told him that he was allowed to go out with his friends from time to time if he wanted. Brian knew that it wouldn't last long; eventually his mother would win the ongoing argument—so he decided to take advantage of his father's allegiance to him while he could.

And that was how he found himself telling his dad everything he knew about the girl he was going out with. He'd been hesitant to share _everything _about her: because Brian's parents never communicated with him except about academics, he had no clue what his parents' opinions would be on him dating at all… let alone someone so…different from him. But all his father had done was push the glasses up on his face and say, "I see. Has anyone given you, or this young lady, any grief about you two spending time together?"

Brian understood immediately what his father was getting at. "No, sir. Well, no one really knows about it yet, except my…my friend Bender." It still felt weird to call Bender that, despite how true it was.

And then his dad got serious. "Well, Brian…Son…you're old enough to know that not everyone in the world is good and kind. Some people are just…just evil and full of hate. I've watched you lately; you're turning into a man—more and more every day, so I'm sure that you are aware of this. I just want you to remember that about the world; to be prepared and be careful of other people who aren't as open-minded as we've raised you to be, and people that don't have good intentions."

Brian had just nodded. He cursed the fact that thinking of his dad's words made him even more nervous about the date, and he knew there was a lot of truth to it. But he didn't want to think about that now. All he wanted to think about was the date he was about to go on with a beautiful, smart girl who actually liked him.

As he was thinking that, he grabbed a light jacket on his way out the door, just in case, and headed out to meet Saidie at her house.

Brian found, as he walked up the street, that he was no longer nervous. He was just excited about tonight.

He couldn't wait to see Saidie.


	23. Diner

_"I saw your face then I heard that song_  
_It was so inviting it hurt my bones"_

_-Red Light, The Strokes_

Brian barely had time to get back in the house, take off his shoes and grab a glass of water from the kitchen before the phone started to ring. He was still very much in a daze, but aware enough to know that it could only be one person on the phone, and he'd better get it before his parents got to him and told him to get back to studying now that he was home for the evening.

"Hi, Claire." He said.

"Brian!" Claire said in a huff, "oh, my gosh, I caught you! Listen, I'm at Allison's; we just left her art show—"

"—How was it?" Brian asked, still feeling bad that he'd missed it, even though Allison had been more than understanding.

"It was amazing. Allison is, like, a prodigy or something, and I'm jealous." Claire's tone was light and friendly, and it masked just how serious she was in that statement. She had been overcome with a sense of inadequacy all throughout the night's event. "But, we'll talk about that later. I should be headed home, but since Allison invited me in, I just _had _to call you and find out how things went tonight! I thought it might be too late to call by the time I got home."

Brian smiled. Leave it to Claire to be starving for some fresh gossip, even brainiac gossip. He sat back in his kitchen chair, making himself comfortable. "It…it was.. great. We had a really good time. At least, I did." He sat back, squirming, preparing to tell Claire the whole story, and knowing that Allison was listening in.

"Did you guys meet there or did you, you know, like, pick her up? Tell me everything." Claire said.

"I walked to her house to meet her," Brian said, "My dad told me it's what a gentleman does…" he began, not knowing that Bender had done no such thing on his date with Claire. Not that it mattered to her. Claire had known what she was getting into; she knew very well that any gentleman tendencies Bender might have were ingeniously hidden and would stay that way as long as Bender had anything to say about it.

In a different, but not far away, part of town, Bender was walking up Saidie's driveway. She'd been sitting on the front porch waiting for him, knowing he'd be by sometime that night, but by the time he finally got there, Saidie was staring at the sky, looking far off, and daydreaming.

"Yo, freak. What are you grinning about?" Bender grumbled at her. Saidie looked over at him as he sat down next to her as if he'd appeared out of thin air.

"Oh," she said, "hey, Bender. Well, it looks like I had a better night than you did."

"Yeah, no shit," Bender said, clearly in a foul mood.

"What happened?" Saidie asked him, though she had a tiny idea that it had to do with a certain redhead she only knew by sight and by name.

"Let's just say I got a nice fucking reminder of why spoiled little princesses should stay the fuck away from people like us." Bender growled.

Saidie smiled, noting that Bender put her in the category of people like himself. It was a form of acceptance no one else but her parents had ever given her, and certainly no other burnouts like Bender. It was weird but nice to know that despite their obvious differences (racial, economic, social, and intellectual), Bender still considered her to be no different from him.

"Um, I see… well, if you just wanna go on inside and get to sleep, that's fine. I'll go make up the couch for you. "

Bender stretched his legs out, almost kicking off one of his motorcycle boots. "I'm fine, Saidie. I could actually use a distraction." He took out a cigarette and lit up. "Tell me about the dweebie. He didn't make a fucking fool of himself, did he?"

Saidie hit Bender in his arm. "No, butthole. He was…amazing."

"Yeah? What did the parental units have to say about him?"

"They thought he seemed… 'perfectly respectable'. I managed to get us out of here in under two minutes, before Daddy could grill him at all. You taught me well." She said, grinning at Bender.

And he had. When Brian arrived at Saidie's, her mother and father had been right there at the door waiting to greet the boy coming to take their daughter out. Brian's nerves returned as the door opened to reveal two quizzical faces.

"Um, h-hi, Pastor and Judge Heyer. I-I'm Brian Johnson. I'm here to see Saidie." He said, pretty sure his face was turning red. How did boys _do _this all through high school, and the years that followed? Brian had never done it before, and he was starting to think that this first time might actually kill him.

Pastor Heyer motioned Brian in. "Nice to meet you, young man." he said, shaking Brian's hand. Judge Heyer didn't say anything; she simply stood there giving Brian a once-over, and then she and Pastor Heyer exchanged a look. From what Brian could tell, they seemed to like what they saw, as finally Judge Heyer smiled at him welcomingly.

"So, Brian. Saidie tells us that she met you through John Bender?" Judge Heyer asked, giving Brian the kind of look he'd imagine anyone would give a dweeb like him upon finding out he was friends with Bender.

"And," Pastor Heyer began, in a way that let Brian know he was suspicious of any friend of Bender going out with his daughter, "how long have you been friends with _that _young man?"

Brian blushed, but before he could answer, a voice behind him practically shrieked, "Daddy! I also told you that Brian is a friend from my Honors English class. And, can I remind you, Mama, that you both _like _Bender!"

Brian turned to find Saidie standing with a very firm, yet embarrassed, look on her face. He didn't want to seem like he was checking her out in front of her parents, but he just couldn't help it. It was the first time he'd seen her with her hair all down, and Brian had never seen her look so good. Looking down from her face, he blushed and thought how he almost wished she wouldn't wear such flattering shirts that hugged her chest nicely the way her flowing blouse did today. Today, it seemed, she'd opted for an almost hippie look.

As Saidie walked over to stand beside him, they turned back to her parents, who looked almost sheepish at having been caught by Saidie.

Saidie capitalized on that and practically pulled Brian towards the door, catching him off guard and shocking him with a spark from their first actual physical contact. "We're out of here. 'Bye, Mama. 'Bye, Daddy." And almost slamming the door behind them, as she pulled Brian out, before her parents could say anything else. Then she gave Brian an innocent smile.

"Whoa," said Claire on the phone as Brian was relaying the story to her, "she sounds brave. I've never been able to pull off getting past the parents without the third degree grilling. It's easier to just meet the date somewhere else." She paused. Then Brian heard her laugh and say, "Allison says she likes this girl already. Anyway, go on."

The two of them were quiet the majority of the walk to the location of their date, which was an old school diner that almost seemed straight out of the 50s. The location had been suggested to Brian by Bender, who swore it was one of Saidie's absolute favorite places to hangout. Most of the way there, they'd just discussed people they knew from class.

"Tsk. Lame. I'm disappointed in the dweebie." Bender said as Saidie told that part of the story to him.

"Well, excuse me for living," Saidie said, "we can't all be as eloquent as the great John Bender." she said, but was smiling and rolling her eyes. "I happen to think he was a lot of fun, thank you."

When Brian and Saidie got to the diner, all that relaxation Brian had felt in just talking to her alone and actually feeling comfortable—it all just went away. As they walked inside, Brian couldn't help but remember his father's words. He was immediately on guard to see who was looking at them, and who was paying just a little too much attention to them. Luckily, the most he noticed was a few raised eyebrows.

As they sat down in a booth and waited for their orders to be taken, Brian cleared his throat. "So, Bender told me this is one your favorite places in town."

Saidie smiled at him. "Yeah. I think it's so cool, and so authentic. I'm just obsessed with the music and styles of the 50s and 60s. Of course, I'm obsessed with a lot of things, though. I'm weird like that." she said in a cute self-deprecating manor.

"I-I don't think it's weird. I think it's interesting. I think you're really interesting." Brian said. He blushed as soon as he said it. And Saidie smiled back at him in a shy way. "Thanks." She said.

"So, do Bender and Freddie come here with you a lot? I can't imagine Bender hanging out in a place like this." Brian said.

Saidie laughed at that. "Not a lot. Sometimes, though. I think he kinda likes it here because everyone loves him. All the women who work here love him; they think he's charming and sweet."

Brian smiled that dimply grin of his that Saidie loved so much. "I wonder what he would say if he heard someone tell him he was sweet."

"I don't think I'd want to find out." Saidie said.

Brian noticed that "You Really Got a Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles was playing on the jukebox. He smiled to himself. _Speaking of Bender, _he thought. He couldn't help but think that that song reminded him of Bender and Claire and their raw, tumultuous, love/hate relationship and borderline toxic passions for one another. As much as they hated each other sometimes, Brian knew that the two of them couldn't resist each other, and they wouldn't be apart for very long. To Brian's mind, the words to that song might as well have been written for the two of them. Brian would have to do something to help his two stubborn friends out, as a thank you for Bender introducing him to the beautiful girl sitting across from him.

Without even realizing she was doing it, Saidie had been softly singing along to the song. Brian sat watching her, until she realized what was happening. If it had been possible for her to blush, she would have been at that moment.

"That's embarrassing," she said, laughing to herself. Brian laughed back, "No, it'd be embarrassing for someone who has a terrible voice, like me. I only sing along when I'm very sure I'm alone. I wouldn't subject anyone to my singing voice." He joked.

"Did you ever listen to the Pink Floyd record?" Saidie asked.

"Not yet. I didn't get a chance to, before….you know…" Brian blushed. It took Saidie a second, but she caught on to what he meant. Before the misunderstanding about her and Bender. "After that, I just couldn't bring myself to." He said, honestly. Saidie nodded understandingly.

Brian decided to change the subject before it got awkward. "Besides, I've been too busy with schoolwork. Mrs. Prescott is killing me with all the assignments lately."

"Yeah! I've been feeling the same way. It'd be nice if we at least got to read something fun for a change. Like a Jane Austen novel, or even a good mystery." Saidie agreed.

"Or even Molière. I love his work." He said, and then smiled at what he'd just said.

"What's so funny?" Saidie asked.

"Oh, I-I was just thinking about when Molière came up in detention. With Bender. He wasn't too happy about it." Brian smiled.

Saidie laughed. "You know, I've been meaning to get Bender to tell me the story of this infamous detention where you two met. I'd love to hear it."

Brian laughed. "Well, it's kind of a long story. It all started when Bender was mouthing off to Mr. Vernon…."

And that was how they spent the rest of their meal; Brian filling Saidie in on the events of that life-changing detention, as sounds from the 60s formed the backdrop to Brian's animated storytelling and impressions of his new friends.

The last thing Brian heard before they left the diner was "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations, and Brian had to resist the temptation of some really sappy, sentimental thoughts.

"So," Bender asked, and then hesitated, not sure if he wanted to know the answer. "So…..did you guys make out? Did he have the balls to kiss you?"

Another punch to his arm. "He was a perfect gentleman, thank you." But Saidie looked anything but smug.

"Did you want him to?" Bender inquired, knowing his friend well.

Saidie nodded, shyly. "I really did," she said in a very Claire-like, dreamy way.

"Want me to give him some pointers?' Bender offered.

"No! No, God, no. It'll happen when it's supposed to… that is, if he even asks me out again." She looked very vulnerable as she said it.

And that's when Bender realized it might not have been the most genius of ideas, setting the two of them up. Bender liked Brian. A lot. He didn't want to have to hurt him. But that's exactly what he'd do if the dweebie hurt Saidie in any way. Bender had a lot of faults, but one of his good traits was that he was fiercely loyal to the few true friends he had.

"So, how come you didn't kiss her?" Claire asked Brian.

"Well.. first date and all….I-I didn't want to be too forward. It didn't seem like the right time."

"Aw, Brian! That's so sweet! You're such a gentleman." Brian blushed at the comment.

He got off the phone with Claire a few minutes later, and went quietly up to his room. It was getting late now, but he wasn't quite ready to go to sleep.

Brian went into his closet, and pulled out the bag from the last time he'd been to the record store. He pull out the Pink Floyd record. Saidie had told him that her favorite song on it was "Wish You Were Here." All he wanted to do right now was lay back, listen to the record, and think of her until he drifted off to sleep.


	24. Art Show

_"Save some face, you know you've only got one_  
_Change your ways while you're young_  
_Boy, one day you'll be a man_  
_Oh girl, he'll help you understand"_

_-Smile Like You Mean It, The Killers_

By the time Allison's art show was over, both she and Andrew were exhausted. Neither of them had any clue, before that night, that making friends with new people could be such a chore, or that Bender and Claire voluntarily being in the same room could be such a volcano waiting to erupt. But they certainly learned that night.

From the moment Allison's friends arrived, she knew that she'd made a big mistake. She'd been setting up her pieces when she heard a commotion near the entrance. It took her almost no time to figure out that it was Bender and Claire.

"You never thought about it? I think you'd make a very interesting subject, _Claire. _You could pose nude, be like one of those Botticelli chicks. In fact…." at this moment they finally walked close enough for Allison to see the huge smirk on Bender's face, "I could paint you myself. What's it gonna take to get you to pose for me?"

Claire turned very red. "Shut up!" she practically yelled, but not in her playful usual way. "You're an absolute pig. And as if you know anything about painting or art." She said, despite the fact that Bender had just proven he at least knew who Botticelli was.

Bender got closer to Claire and said something that Allison couldn't quite hear. Claire hit him in the chest, hard, and again not in her normal playful way. She spun around on him. "You are not allowed to talk to me that way. Remember? We're just friends."

Bender looked caught off guard. It took him a second to regain his composure, and when he did it looked to Allison like he was about to say something that would have led to an all-out war between the group and ruined Allison's art show.

Luckily, Andrew was right behind them and stepped in. "Guys? Cut it out. If either of you ruins this for Alli, I'm gonna waste Bender."

Allison grinned from ear to ear as Andrew approached her, having shut up the tumultuous pair.

And that was pretty much how the night went for Allison and Andrew. While Allison tried to show off her stuff, she and Andrew took turns running interference between Claire and Bender. On any other occasion Allison would have just found it funny and watched them with that devilish, psychotic, smirk on her face. But that night she felt like she was babysitting two five year olds.

"I don't understand. I thought they were getting along fine. Now it's like they can't stand each other. And they say I'm the weird one." Allison said to Andrew. She smiled and awaited his response, but when she glanced over at him it became clear that he wasn't paying any attention to her. His eyes and focus were on something else. Allison tried to follow his gaze, but she couldn't make out anything special that he could be looking at.

"Andrew?" she said, nervously biting her nails. When he didn't answer, she spit one of her nails at him. That got his attention.

"Huh?" he said, not even phased by the fact that his kind-of-maybe girlfriend spit nails at him for fun. Allison wasn't sure whether the fact that Andrew was starting to get used to her weirdo behavior should please her or scare her.

"What are you staring at?" she asked in her old faithful voice of suspicion. Andrew began scratching himself somewhat nervously. "Um, nothing. Just checking out all the cool art. I'm gonna…I'm gonna go look around."

Allison gave him one of her death stares. She clearly didn't believe him. While Allison appreciated that Andrew tried for her, she knew that he had less than zero interest in art. So he was clearly lying. Was he checking out another girl? Allison was new at this, so she had no idea whether or not she had any right to be upset.

While Claire was in the restroom, Allison and Andrew had finally relaxed their reigns enough to let Bender loose for a bit. As long as Claire wasn't around, he didn't need to be chaperoned, so he was able to get a free minute to himself to walk around a little. Bender was hardly any more interested in art than Andy was, but he was getting bored and found himself walking around to prevent his restlessness.

As he passed someone's bullshit, lame painting of a park, he saw some girls that looked vaguely familiar. He thought he'd seen one of them giving Allison a mean look earlier, and now, as he edged closer to them and overheard their conversation, he was sure that he had.

"…That freak…. as if dressing weird and acting like a complete psycho makes her an 'artist'. " One of them was saying.

"She used to go to my school in middle school. I think her name's Allison. I heard she stabbed a teacher once." The second girl said.

"I don't think she's very talented. I think people just kiss her ass and tell her that her work's good because they're afraid of her. Afraid of what she might do, you know, since she's weird." The blonde first girl replied.

The other girl, who had black hair, flipped her hair and practically turned her nose in the air. "Please. My dad practically built this place. The guy who runs this center is forever in his debt. No way that psycho bitch is winning over me."

"But you don't even like art. Why do you even care?" the blonde asked.

"Because it will look good on my college applications. That's the only reason I even put up with having to hang out with these freaks. And I will not let _that_ freak of nature ruin this for me. Now, come on, help me finish my set up and then we can go get a soda."

The two girls walked off from Bender's earshot then, and he had to catch his breath to calm down the anger and frustration boiling up inside him. Those bitches—who looked like they'd be friends with Claire if they went to Shermer—were trash-talking Allison. They thought they were entitled to beat her just because they were pretty and popular and had powerful fathers. And they'd tried to belittle Allison's talent just because she was… a little different. Okay, she was weird as fuck, but Bender liked that about her. The whole group did. Bender was furious. He would never have admitted it, but the same way Claire seemed to have some protective instinct in her that made he want to look out for Brian, Bender had that same instinct and feeling about Allison. Maybe because in a lot of ways she reminded him so much of himself. Or maybe because she was one of the only girls he knew that wasn't completely fake and full of bullshit.

When Bender got furious, he got ideas. It never ended well. And one tiny one, that was nothing for an evil genius like him, was forming at that moment. But first, he had to go find Claire again.

On the other side of the room, Andy was having a semi-major freakout. While Allison had been trying to talk to him about Claire and Bender, Andrew had noticed the last person he wanted to see walking around the community center.

His best friend Stubbie. _Shit, _Andrew thought, _what the hell is he doing here? _

And then he remembered. Stubbie's little sister was into art. The siblings' parents insisted that the two of them supported each other (which was laughable to Andy, considering they were always traipsing off to Europe or any other place whenever they felt like it, and leaving their kids behind); Stubbie had to attend art events with his sister, and she had to attend all his sporting events.

It was one thing to attend art events in support of your adorable little sister; it was quite another to be a supposedly macho jock caught at some art show because you were dating the school freak.

Andrew knew he had to get out of there. Fast. And in thinking that, he was overcome with guilt. Wasn't he supposed to be the new and improved Andy? The one that didn't care what his friends thought? The guy who was going to earn the affections of a unique soul like Allison?

But, no. It wasn't like that. He wasn't embarrassed of Allison, he told himself. And he would stand up to his friends if they gave him any grief about Alli. But that didn't mean he was going to go looking for that confrontation. He certainly wasn't in any rush to have it sooner than he had to. And definitely not tonight, in the middle of Allison's art show; the first event they'd all gone to together.

And what about Claire? Stubbie and Claire weren't exactly close friends, but Andy had a feeling she wouldn't be thrilled to be seen by him either. Maybe Andy should warn her?

He looked around to try to find either Stubbie or Claire.

But before he could locate either of them, he heard a commotion. Some girl was shrieking, and Bender was standing nearby, backing away quietly, with a mischievous smirk on his face.

When Claire had walked out of the restroom, Bender had been standing outside near the water fountains waiting for her.

"Yo, Princess." He called out to her.

Claire rolled her eyes. "What do you want, _John?_" she asked.

Bender didn't know what he'd been thinking, deciding to go to Claire for assistance in his plan. For one thing, she had been acting rather hostile towards him lately, even though she was the one who said they should try to be friends. And for another, Bender wasn't too sure how he felt about the idea of her knowing that the reason he was doing this was for Allison. But, something definitely had to be done.

"How good are you at creating a distraction?" he asked her.

"Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

Bender grinned at her. "I hope you're a good actress, Princess." He said.

It hadn't taken very long for them to put their plan into action. Claire hadn't even asked Bender much about why he wanted to do this. All he'd said was, "Trust me, Queenie. We'll be doing Klepto a favor."

Which explained why Andy found himself staring at Claire wiping off a girl she'd spilled paint on, pretending to be very sorry, apologizing over and over again but Allison, who had joined Andy at his side to see what was going on, could tell Claire wasn't sorry at all.

People who were standing near where the incident had occurred, were now helping the black-haired girl get cleaned up, and while they did, Andy and Allison noticed Bender jump up from under a table near the girl with the black hair, and place something on it. And as the two looked at each other, both Andy and Allison knew that Bender was up to something.

They discovered what it was a few minutes later when the girl's friend, a blond, screamed, too. She was holding a sketch with Coke spilled all over it, and a man who must have been her father was looking at another of the girl's sketches with a big hole right in the middle of it.

Behind the action, Bender was sipping a Coke and slipping what looked like the same knife he'd shown Andy in detention, back into his pocket.

While Claire was finishing up her over exaggerated act of helping clean up the paint she'd "accidentally" spilled that had gotten on the blonde girl, Bender disappeared in a flash, as if he hadn't been there at all.

Next to him, Allison was laughing harder than Andy had ever seen her. Andy couldn't help but smile, himself. And then he noticed Stubbie reenter the room.

"Um, Alli? I'm going to go. I'm not feeling very well. Is that alright?" he lied.

Allison squeaked and nodded. "Claire can take me home."

"Okay. Thanks. You've done some great work." He said, and made his exit without so much as hugging her.

As Andy walked through the parking lot, he felt something hit him in the back of his head. "What the heck?" he said out loud.

And then he heard rustling from a nearby tree. "Psst. Sporto!"

Andy looked up and saw what looked like Bender's figure hidden by some tree branches. "Bender? What the hell are you doing up there?"

"I think it'd be unwise for me to venture back inside after my…activities. So thought I'd come out here and wait for you guys."

"Get down from there, jackass!" Andy yelled.

"Think you could give me a ride back to the school?"

"Whatever." Andy replied and Bender climbed down from the tree. As they walked towards Andy's car, Andy shook his head and said, "Bender, you're insane."


	25. Lunchtime Gossip

_"I know exactly what you're thinking_  
_You won't say it now but in your heart it's loud"_

_-Razorblade, The Strokes_

After the chaos of Allison's art show on Saturday night, Claire wasn't in a very good mood. She was used to having things her way, but lately things were definitely _not _going her way. In fact, her world seemed to be turned upside, and it was all the fault of stupid John Bender.

She couldn't understand how he could be all soft and vulnerable with her sometimes (like he had been in the closet at the end of detention) and kiss her the way he'd done a few times, and then be over her just like that, with the snap of his fingers. Bender had been able to move on from their brief time together much more quickly than she had. If it didn't hurt so much, it would almost have been funny: Claire was supposed to be this pretty, popular, desirable girl, and yet the first guy she ever really cared about had shown her that she was utterly forgettable to him. At least, if Bender's neutral behavior was anything to go by, that's what he saw her as.

His ability to remain cool under pressure, and to not let the small stuff get to him, was one of the things she found most attractive about him, and now it was working against her. She wished she was able to just let things roll off her back; to not care about him just because she wanted to not care. But, if she couldn't do that, she'd at least pretend to do so.

Which is why Claire found herself, early Sunday afternoon, standing in front of her closet trying to pick out something to wear on a date with a boy she wasn't even sure she liked. There was a time when getting ready for a date with a popular guy like him would have been a group affair, all her friends fussing over her and her hair and makeup. But Claire had demanded that she wanted to go this one alone. She didn't want to have to fake all those smiles and excited shrieks in front of Annabelle, or play the "what will you name your children?" girly daydream game with Charlotte, or pretend to be interested in Erica's critiques of her outfit and look.

And, the truth was, Claire's friends would have been completely justified in behaving that way. Back in 6th grade, just like her friends, Claire had been one of the many girls writing "Mrs. Dan Hogan" or "Claire Hogan" in her notebook and giggling about how cute he was with her friends in 4th grade at recess. Every girl in school had wanted Dan Hogan since elementary school. And he—a popular, handsome, athletic older guy (he was a junior, Claire was a sophomore)—had asked Claire out, of all the other popular girls in school, cheerleaders included. Claire should be thrilled that he was taking her to lunch at his father's exclusive lounge.

_I am thrilled,_ Claire told herself as she looked in the mirror. But she knew it was mostly a lie. She still found Dan very attractive, and was excited to be going out with someone that she didn't have to worry about what her friends would think about, or wouldn't cause yet another fight between her parents if they met him. But she couldn't help but wonder if Dan was more than just a good on paper guy.

As she was thinking that, the doorbell rang. Well, it wouldn't be long now before she found out. Claire threw on a skirt, grabbed her purse, and went to meet Dan downstairs, waiting for her.

By the time she came home, she was more convinced than ever that the things she'd learned in detention had even more meaning than she'd originally realized. All that "never judge a book by its cover, all that glitters isn't gold" stuff actually was true. Claire was so disappointed, she didn't even bother to pick up the phone to call her friends, not even Allison, and talk about it.

Not that Allison would have been in the mood to be a girlfriend to Claire anyway. She had her own concerns nagging at her, all brought on by the mysteries inside the head of Andrew Clark. Allison spent most of her Sunday in her room being ignored by her parents, and working on an essay for her History class. What did she care about unfathomably intolerable politicians and their ridiculous Watergate scandals? Didn't her dismissive teachers who thought of her as little more than a whack job know that there were real problems in the real lives of average people? Like, people contemplating suicide; or abused teenaged boys, or student athletes so verbally berated and emotionally beaten down by their fathers that they couldn't even think for themselves enough to do the right thing, even when every fiber of their being wanted to?

Allison sighed at that. She knew that there was more to Andrew's behavior than what he'd let on last night. And she had no idea how she should proceed. But, unlike Claire, she wasn't one for long gabfests on the telephone, so she'd just have to find a way to talk to one of her friends at school tomorrow.

When Brian got to school that early May morning, he'd been so looking forward to lunchtime, so he could have lunch with Bender and try to get Bender to tell him what Saidie had thought of their date, since Bender hadn't answered the phone at all on Sunday when Bender tried to call him. But when he went to Dell's locker after homeroom, Brian had found a note from Allison (how _had _she gotten inside?) saying that she was going to join him for lunch in the library that day. Darn. Talking to Bender would have to wait. At least he'd have Allison for company.

He knew he'd definitely need that company by the time English was over and he'd had no chance to say anything to Saidie. She'd come bursting into class at the last second before the bell and had been one of the first ones out of class. She had, at least, smiled and waved at him before she left in a hurry. Bran chalked it up to the crazies, with finals looming not too far off.

At lunch, Allison came huffing into the library and sat down, setting her big bag down with a clear determination. Brian looked up at her questioningly.

"I think," Allison said, "that Andrew is acting weird." Brian put his pen down at that report.

"What do you mean?" Brian asked.

"He lied to me on Saturday. At the art show. He was kind of distant, and then he lied and said he was sick and left before they announced the winner of the showcase."

"Did you win?" Allison squeaked a yes.

"Maybe he really was sick?" Brian said hopefully.

"No. He couldn't even look at me when he said it. He was lying."

"Oh. Well, did you talk to him about it later?"

"No. He didn't call me yesterday and Claire says you're supposed to let the guy call you, at least most of the time." Allison said, completely uncomfortable.

Allison could tell by the look on Brian's face that he was evaluating her, knowing that she was the furthest thing from the type of girl who played by anyone's rules.

Allison just shrugged and blew on her bangs, which she'd brought back. And that's when Brian noticed that she was looking more like the Allison she'd been in detention than he'd seen her in a month. "I… I figured…since I have no experience, Claire's help was better than none at all."

Brian smiled and nodded, understanding. "That makes sense."

Then Allison had a usual outburst. "Bender destroyed some other girls' art. And then he disappeared."

Brian laughed at this. "Why'd he do that? Not that Bender ever really needs a reason." Allison smiled and shrugged. "I think I went to school once with one of those girls, but I don't know how Bender could have known that." She said.

"Did Andy see Bender do this? I-I mean, you said he disappeared afterwards; maybe Andy went to check on him.'

Allison shrugged. "I thought about that, too. Except that I think I saw one of Andrew's friends there."

Brian's eyes got wide. "Really? Are you sure?"

Allison nodded. "Pretty. I watch Andrew a lot in the hallways, and I'm pretty sure I've seen him with that boy. A lot."

Brian looked down, understanding completely now. "You think Andrew left b-because he… didn't want his friend to see him with you, and all?"

Allison got that teary look in her eye again, and nodded. She realized she'd been right about thinking that both Bender and Brian were in tune with her, because at that moment she and Brian were thinking the same thing; Allison's bright idea after detention had done nothing to solve the problem of the popular kids not wanting to be associated with them, the weirdoes. At best, it had been a temporary stall—a Band-Aid.

Claire and Andrew's lunch periods hadn't been any more enthralling.

Claire was seated with her friends in the center of the cafeteria, the table always reserved for the popular girls and the jocks. Charlotte, Erica, and Annabelle were grilling her about her date.

"So, how was the restaurant?" Charlotte asked, putting on lip gloss.

"It was…nice. Really classy," Claire said, trying to muster up some enthusiasm. The girls nodded; this was what they'd expected.

"You are so lucky." Annabelle said, dreamily.

""Did he kiss you?" Erica demanded. She was the leader of the group. No one really liked her except her friends. Even Claire was afraid of her. _She _was the main reason Claire had cried in detention when she talked to Brian about pressure.

Claire wrinkled her nose. "Ew, no. He did nothing of the sort. It was horrible. He tried to feel me up. He's a jerk, and I don't get why any of us have wasted so much time liking him."

Annabelle looked at her sympathetically, but Charlotte and Erica rolled their eyes. "You are such a prude, Claire. I wish you would learn to just have a little fun."

Claire could feel her temperature rising with rage and disappointment. "I am not a prude. Dan was aggressive. It was creepy."

Charlotte giggled. "I'd let him feel me up." She said, and Annabelle and Erica laughed, too. Claire rolled her eyes. These girls just didn't get it. To them, everything was all about appearances. There wasn't much they wouldn't do for the right dress, right car, and right boyfriend. None of them even cared that their so-called friend Claire had had to fight off some jerk jock-boy with raging hormones, a barely existent IQ, and not much else.

"You have so much to learn, Claire. How do you ever expect to be swept off your feet by a rich husband if you won't even let a guy touch you? We'll be juniors next year, and you've yet to even, like, kiss someone worthy. Sixth grade pecks with boys who are losers don't count." Erica said, making Claire blush because she knew that her friends were now wrong about her kissing inexperience. At least, to a degree.

That made her think back to the few kisses she'd had with Bender before it all went to pot. She wondered if it were just because he was her first real kiss that she enjoyed kissing him so much, or if it had more to do with the fact that it was Bender, who was probably oozing with experience.

Claire zoned out so much that she was shocked to find, when she came out of her own head, that her friends were talking about oral sex, much more loudly than was comfortable for her (not that the conversation would have been comfortable in any volume), and Erica, who was also quite experienced, was miming performing oral sex, much to the amusement of Charlotte and Annabelle.

Claire was so embarrassed. And, to think, these were the people whose opinions mattered so much to her. These girls were the reason she'd made poor, sweet Brian cry in detention with her conceited words. Claire couldn't believe what an idiot she was sometimes. She grabbed her purse and excused herself from the cafeteria.

Little did she know she'd been the topic of conversation at Andrew's jock table, too. Dan Hogan, quarterback of the football team, was engaging all the jocks in the tale of his weekend exploits. Andy (the most anti-gossip popular kid in the school) seated next to Stubbie, hadn't been paying much attention until he heard Claire's name.

"I'm telling you, she's not the frigid bitch everybody thinks she is. The girl was all over me. Couldn't keep her hands off. And neither could I. Claire just needed the right guy to get past all that sexual oppression." Dan Hogan was saying.

"What did you just say?" Andy asked him. He and Dan had never really been close friends, but as fellow athletes, they did run in the same circles.

Dan turned to him. "I was telling these guys about, uh, my adventure into Claire Standish-land yesterday. You know, going where no man has been before?" Dan said. Some of the guys high-fived him and egged him on.

Andy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Knowing Claire the way he'd gotten to know her, he knew that Dan was lying. And Stubbie did, too, but he didn't seem to care. Andy knew that he should say something, do something. Instead, he just got up and walked off from the table.

Andy was ashamed of himself. Allison had been so right about him in detention. She'd all but implied that he was a coward, and he was. He'd had no problem defending Claire's honor in detention, when he knew Bender couldn't really do anything to him with Vernon around. But he couldn't bring himself to defend Claire's honor when he really needed to, from the other jockstraps.

And speaking of Bender. As Andy walked around the hallways pacing, he caught sight, through a window, of Bender sitting out back on the steps with some random girl that he considered, in his lap, kissing his neck. That was Bender for you, always overcompensating.

Because, it was obvious that that's what it was. Overcompensating. Andrew was no genius, but any idiot could see that behind all the insults, Bender was crazy for Claire, and her for him. Nobody fought like that unless they were hot for each other. He wondered (if Bender knew about the lies that were being spread about Claire); if he would even care; wondered what Bender would do.


	26. Move On

**A/N Please don't forget to REVIEW. I hope you guys are liking the new chapters, but without reviews I can't know what you think. Don't be a stranger, and please don't be afraid to tell me what you don't like.**

**I'll never be one to hold new chapters hostage for reviews. All I'm saying is I just need people's opinions so I know if my story is even worth continuing. I give you my word I won't turn into one of those writers who disappears in the middle of a story for months or years at a time. Especially not as long as I know there is interest.**

**Hopefully, I'll be coming to the end of this fanficton very soon. But a new one will come one day soon after this one ends. It'll pick up with a new school year. **

**In case it's unclear, here are the gang's ages at this point in my story: Bender-17, Claire and Andy-16. Allison, Brian and Saidie-15. Allison is almost 16. Allison, Saidie and Brian are all freshman at this point. Bender, Claire and Andy are sophomores; Bender having been kept back a year. We'll find out why later. **

_"All the girls could never make me love them the way I love you"_

-_Red Light, The Strokes_

Andrew was interrupted out of his thoughts by the arrival of Allison and Brian, coming from the library. He smiled at the sight of them. Allison was wearing black jeans, a blue tank top, and, around her waist… his blue sweater. This made Andy smile even wider. He'd almost forgotten that he gave it to her. He had to admit, it looked much, much better on her. He already knew that she'd sown his patch onto the inside of her "jam-bag", as he now liked to call the bag Allison carried with her everywhere.

All thoughts of Bender, or Claire, went out of his head as he walked up to Allison and Brian. He nodded a guy nod at Brian and smiled at Allison. He took the sweater from around her waist and hoisted it on her shoulders. Blue looked so good on her. She smiled back at him.

"Um, guys, have you seen Bender?" Brian asked.

Allison shook her head, but the mention of Bender's name brought Andrew back to reality. "Um, yeah, I just saw him. He's out back with some girl. They were really going at it, man."

Brian shook his head, hanging it low. Andrew knew that Brian was Claire and Bender's biggest supporter. He just didn't understand how hard relationships could be.

But he couldn't be concerned about Brian, or Bender and Claire right now. Not when Allison, the most unique girl he'd ever known, was standing right in front of him. "Hi," he said to her, in that soft voice he'd used when he first saw her after Claire's makeover.

"Hi back," she said, just as softly.

But luck wasn't on their side that day. Just then, the end of lunch bell rang, and the three Club members realized it would only be a matter of seconds before the halls became flooded with other children. Brian cleared his throat. But before he could say anything, some of the jocks were coming out of the cafeteria and headed right in their direction.

Andy noticed this and began to get nervous. He opened his mouth to say goodbye to Allison, but before he could, Stubbie was calling to him. "Yo, Clark! Where'd you go? Come on, man!" he looked quizzically at Brian as he grabbed Andy and pulled him away, while Andy was looking back at Allison helplessly.

That was the thing about being invisible. Stubbie hadn't even seen how close Andy had been to Allison. He hadn't seen Allison at all.

Brian and Allison exchanged a knowing look. Allison looked at him the way she had when Brian had first laid eyes on her Claire makeover, only this time the look said, "I told you so."

Brian cleared his throat again. He didn't know what good he was if he couldn't offer words of comfort and reassurance to Allison. So he said, "I-I'm going to see if I can find Bender before class," before giving Allison as warm a smile as he could, and taking off.

Bender's day, while it appeared to be going great to Andy, was full of turmoil; more than appearances showed.

He'd been determined that this would be the week he got back to being the old John Bender; the one before a certain crazy redhead had put him in danger of losing his mind and becoming everything he stood against. He hadn't spent time with any of his girls recently, and so he'd spent Sunday, after he left Saidie's house first thing Sunday morning, smoking and hanging out with one girl, a blond by the name of Donna. He hadn't slept with her, which was unusual for the two of them when they got together, but there had been a lot of making out and other questionable activities. And he remembered what it was like to kiss someone who actually _knew _what passion was; knew what it was like to be to sexually aroused and not ashamed of it. In short, he remembered what it was like to not have to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing, and to just enjoy being with a hot girl.

He'd been worried that the first or second time he hung out with one of the girls he was considering, that he'd have one of those stupid revelations that guys were always having in those stupid chick flicks his cousin Mariah always watched and made him watch with her. That he'd be in the middle of kissing Donna or some other girl, and suddenly it wouldn't feel the same and all he'd be able to do was think about Claire and how kissing some _virgin tease _was some stupid, life-changing event that was going to rock his world and force him to get his life together and become some stand-up citizen.

He was almost relieved that none of that had happened. He was still able to enjoy kissing other girls, and feeling up other girls. And he didn't even have to feel guilty about it.

But, truth be told, there _was_ a slight change. Bender did come to a small realization as he was making out behind the school with Leigh Dorian. See, he'd always only been concerned with his own enjoyment when making out with girls before. There was no romantic attachment, but the girls he considered were his friends...in a way. He'd never had to worry about whether or not they were enjoying kissing, or sex, or whatever they were doing together. And his own enjoyment of it had only been about the sensation, not about who he was doing those things with.

But Monday, getting hot and heavy with Leigh, he realized that these girls felt the same way about him. They were using him for the physical enjoyment just as much as he was using them, and they were no different from Claire's friends in that they had no problem making out with him but would probably never actually date him. It had never dawned on him until that day that the anti one-guy, one-girl thing hadn't been completely his decision. He'd always just assumed that any one of those girls would have jumped at the chance to actually go out with him or be his actual girlfriend if they had the chance.

But then the bell rang and Leigh broke away from his neck and from touching him, and climbed out of his lap saying, "Later, dude." And took off all nonchalant, as if she had just been taking a test or something.

And then he thought about what Saidie had said to him about how girls thought he was hot but most of them would never do anything about it. Damn. Even the girls of the heavy metal vomit crowd didn't think he was good enough to date, if he'd even wanted to. And he couldn't say that he blamed them. He was angry, aggressive, sarcastic, and the furthest thing from sweet or kind or romantic. Somewhere deep down, Bender had always known that when it came to girls, his main attraction was his good looks and sexy rebellious attitude. And it had worked for him. Big time. It'd gotten him more than his share of hot girls, but never anything more than that. It had never bothered him before; he wasn't exactly sure why it was even on his mind now. But it was something that he couldn't shake from his mind for the rest of that entire day.

The next day, he realized why that had been. He hadn't smoked anything that entire day. It made sense that his thoughts would run wild on him.

That was why, when he saw Brian prancing through the halls excitedly toward him, he'd never been so happy to see the dweebie's face. "Hey, dork." He greeted.

"Hi, Bender. Long time, no see." Brian joked lamely. It had been about four days. "Where've you been?" he asked.

"What do you mean? I've been around." Bender replied.

"I-I tried calling you over the weekend and I didn't see you yesterday."

"Yeah, dweebie. I stayed over at Saidie's on Saturday night."

Brian blushed and looked down. "Oh." He said.

Bender smirked. "Relax, Big Bri. All she did until I went to sleep was talk my ear off about you." At this, Brian blushed an even more ridiculous shade of red and grinned that goofy, satisfied grin of his. "Oh," he said again.

Bender rolled his eyes in an amused way. "Let's go to lunch, Big Bri," he said, patting Brian on the back.

They headed out the side doors to Freddie's car, since Freddie always spent his lunch with the other burnouts.

"So," asked Brian, when they were all settled in, "what did Saidie say about me?" he asked nervously.

Bender looked at him with wide eyes. "What do I look like, your gossiping girlfriend?" he asked sarcastically.

Brian looked down. "Right. It…it doesn't matter. I mean, we're guys, right? No big deal." He said.

But Bender could tell he was dying to know. He rolled his eyes again. "She said that you were a perfect gentleman. And that she wished you would have kissed her." Bender said. "Now that I'm sufficiently a girl, are you happy now?"

Brian smiled. "I could have kissed her?" was all he said. He didn't know what to make of that. He hadn't ever known what it was like to have a girl actually wanting to kiss him.

"She appreciated that you didn't though. Trust me, dweebie, you're the only guy that wouldn't have tried to." Bender replied.

"I… I thought she was mad at me. I've barely gotten a moment to talk to her since we went out."

"Why would she be mad at you?" Bender asked, narrowing his eyes at Brian. "Did you _do something _for her to be mad at?"

"Well… I haven't called her since the date. But it wasn't my fault! I…I just wasn't sure what I was supposed to say. I didn't know if I should have asked her out again, or if she'd even want to go out again. And I didn't see her around much yesterday."

"Why would she be mad about that, Brainiac? Did you tell her you'd call her at a specific time and then didn't? Did she ask you to call her?"

"No. But, Claire… she says that if a guy likes a girl, he should call her after the date to tell her that he had a good time, and that he should call her within the next two days to check in with her if he wants to go out with her again. That's what she told me. I didn't call Saidie that night because she mentioned that you were supposed to be coming over to see her…"

Brian went on and on, but Bender had stopped paying attention. He'd been thinking about Claire since Brian brought her up. Stupid Queenie and her stupid rules. Brian must be a real shit-for-brains to buy into her crap.

Who did she think she was to manipulate the dweebie with her stupid rules? Why couldn't she just live her own life? And why was it that she could be all involved with what was going on with Brian and his love life (good God, Bender could hardly believe that the dork now had a love life) but couldn't even talk to Bender about why she'd acted completely crazy on him and came to school after _their _date and wanted nothing to do with him?

But maybe this was his chance to find out. If Claire and Brian were such gal pals that they talked about dating and shit, maybe Brian had some insight as to the inner workings in the mind of a princess.

"Hey, dweebie," Bender said, interrupting Brian's ramblings, "has Claire mentioned anything to you about me?" Then he paused and added, "Jesus, I feel like such a chick."

Brian reddened. "Um, well, Bender, I don't think Claire would appreciate me talking to you about this. And she's trying to move on, since you decided you're over her, and—"

"—Aww, come on, Big Bri. You think Saidie would be thrilled if she knew I was telling you about our private conversations? And…wait, _what? _What the hell do you mean she's trying to move on because I'm over her?"

"Okay. Well, Claire came crying to me after we went to The Hut and you told her you didn't care if she went out with Dan Hogan. After we all made up after that big fight, she wanted to make up with you and wanted to go out with you again, but when you rejected her—"

"—Rejected her?! How the hell did I reject her when I didn't even know she still wanted me to go out with her? Fucking Claire, man. Did she also tell you, Big Bri, that she's the one who picked a fight with me after we went to the fucking arcade? Did she tell you that she's the one who came to school and flirted with Freddie in my face? Did she tell you that?"

"Well, I don't know about all that, but—"

"—But what? She's fucking nuts, I swear."

"I do know she's real sorry about that, Bender. From what she told me, she thinks it was a really stupid mistake to act like that. I-I think she was just upset because she was hoping you'd call her after your date, and when you didn't, she thought you weren't interested in her anymore. Lately she's been asking me what you and me and Andy did that night that we went out. I think she thinks you met someone else."

That shut Bender right up. All this time he'd wondered why Claire had come back to school acting like a mental case after their one and only date, and now he had his answer. Because he was such a dope he hadn't thought to call her. He thought about Freddie's words about how Claire wouldn't have been flirting with _him _unless Bender had done something to piss her off. And apparently he had. How was he supposed to know it was protocol to call a girl after a date so she'd know he was still interested?

He'd never have thought that Claire, the fucking queen of the school, could be that insecure. Part of Bender wanted to be angry. It served Claire right. That's exactly what she got for listening to her idiot friends and living her social life through some stupid set of rules.

But Bender couldn't really be mad. Regardless of the fact that Claire was a princess, she was still a _girl,_ after all. Hell, Saidie was the least girly girl he knew, and even she fell victim to those same girly rules and insecurities. And over a dweebie, no less. He'd heard Saidie say that she'd never be caught dead calling a guy first.

Still, why'd Claire have to play stupid games and pick a fight with him? Why did she end things? Why couldn't she have just told him that she was mad at him for not calling her? Of course not. That would have been too easy. And being that vulnerable in front of him would have been out of the question for her. She had too much pride. Bender laughed to himself at that thought. The two of them really weren't so different, after all. Both stubborn egomaniacs.

And then he thought about the thoughts he'd had about girls over the past couple of days. How even the girls from his own social circle wouldn't be caught dating a guy like him. How they'd used him for sex just as much as he'd used them for the enjoyment (friendship and all) and how Leigh and Donna and the others would probably laugh in his face at the idea of him taking them on some sappy date to the arcade; let alone the idea of him actually calling them up on the phone to reassure them that he had feelings for him. And here was Princess Claire, all torn up because the school criminal hadn't called her. He hadn't been just some hot rebel to her. If what Brian was saying was true, he'd been much more than that. She'd wanted him. She'd actually been insecure after their date, and thought he'd found someone he'd liked better.

He had to find her and at least talk to her about things.

Brian was staring him down. "Did I say too much?" he asked.

Bender smirked. "Nope. For maybe the first time since I met you, dweebie, you make perfect sense. I think I need to make a trip to the cafeteria. See ya." He said, hopping off of Freddie's car.

He got halfway to the cafeteria when he realized lunch was ending. So he figured he could wait for Claire. She'd see him, know he was waiting for her, and slip away from her friends to talk to him.

Finally he saw her coming out of the cafeteria. Bender leaned against the wall, trying as hard as possible to look cool.

But Claire didn't even seem to notice him when she walked by with her friends. Or, if she did, she pretended not to.

She and her friends were deep in conversation. One of them was saying, "Well, okay, fine. So Dan was a little more grabby than you like. Fine. Is it just about him, or are you willing to let us set you up with someone else?"

Claire blushed. "I guess that would be okay. I mean, I didn't have a _completely _awful time with Dan. It'd be nice go out with another older guy. Just, no dumb jocks, okay? Maybe someone from student council?"

Another of the girls grinned wide and said, "I know why she wants an older guy. She knows everyone already expects her to be the only underclassman that gets invited to prom. Claire just wants to make sure it actually happens."

All four girls, Claire included, giggled as they walked away.

And Bender remembered something else Brian had said. The one part that hadn't really registered until now. _"She's trying to move on."_ Brian had said.

Bender walked away thinking he would skip his next class after all.


	27. Secrets

**Hope all my fellow Americans had a great holiday! Coming into the end of this fanfiction, but I've got some ideas for how I want to start the first sequel to this. Excited to keep it coming if you guys are liking it. **

"_Got no reason, got no shame__  
__Got no family I can blame__  
__Just don't let me disappear__  
__I'm gonna tell you everything"_

_-Secrets, One Republic _

Brian Johnson's life was beginning to change in a major way. He knew his academic school friends wouldn't believe him if they found out. He almost couldn't believe it himself; he certainly wouldn't have believed it could have happened to a King of the Nerds like him,if it wasn't actually happening to him.

Somehow, and he was still trying to figure out how, but somehow Brian Johnson not only had his first group of real friends, but he had managed to become the most popular member of the Breakfast Club. It also seemed as if he'd managed to maybe get himself a girlfriend as well.

Much to his mother's dismay, he had gone from being a social leper to having his phone ring constantly in the afternoon and evenings. If it wasn't Claire calling to gossip, it was Allison calling to check in, or Bender calling to vent, or Andy calling to be a pal and talk about things he couldn't talk to the jocks about. Every now and then it was even Saidie.

He and Saidie were even sharing lockers.

It all started with Andrew. Andy was the first to start calling him on a regular basis.

Rumors were starting to go around about Andy. Stubbie may not have noticed Allison, but others in Andrew's jock friend group certainly had taken notice of her.

Their friend Will_ thought_ he'd seen Andy in the art room that one time. But after seeing him in the hallway with Allison, with his arm around her waist, and also with that blond dork who always wore the really geeky clothes, Will knew that something weird was _definitely _going on. But after talking it over with his little sister Charlotte, she'd told him the best thing to do was not to say anything just yet. According to Charlotte, letting anyone know that he was on to Andy's secret behavior would only make him more secretive and therefore harder to catch in the act.

"Act like everything is cool. Keep an eye on him. That way, if he really is taking up with some freak girl, you can ruin him when you catch him red-handed. That's what Erica is doing with Claire Standish. She's jealous of Claire being the only sophomore that got asked to the prom, even before her, and she's even more jealous of the fact that Claire said no. She's determined to find out the real reason Claire said no, so she can use it against her."

What Charlotte didn't tell her brother Will was that she'd had a crush on Andrew for years, so she had her own personal reasons for wanting any girl that might be competition, ruined. She and her brother didn't have much time left; the school year was almost over. Junior year was going to be her year with Andrew. She'd already decided that he was going to be her date for prom next year, one way or the other.

Will had tried to take his sister's advice. The trouble was, he wasn't a devious, teenage Queen Bee. So he didn't have the powers of discretion that his sister did.

Andrew had been on his way out of the school for the day when he overheard Will and Dan talking.

"After that thing with the Lester kid, he was on the verge of being a freaking legend. It could have made him the most popular boy in the school. And if anyone catches him with that psychopathic nutcase, it's all shot to hell." Dan was saying.

"I don't know, man. He's been acting weird ever since that whole Lester thing. He hasn't been… you know, like us since it happened. Even his wrestling isn't the same." Will replied.

"What do you think we should do? If word gets around that one of us is giving charity dates to freaks and geeks, soon all our parents will expect us to do the same." Dan commented.

Will shook his head. "I hadn't thought of it like that before. We definitely can't have that."

And that was all Andrew could take. He'd called Brian as soon as he got home.

"Wow, that's…that's awful, Andy. I'm sorry. Have you talked to Allison about it?" Brian said.

"No. She doesn't need to know what those creeps said. I don't want to hurt her."

Brian nodded, even though Andy obviously couldn't see him. "So what are you going to do?"

Andy sighed. "I have no idea. I was hoping you might have a bright idea or two."

Brian smiled and giggled. "Sorry. Unfortunately, I don't. All I can tell you is to do what you think will have the biggest payoff for you in the long run."

That had been the end of that conversation. But it had only taken a few more days for Andy to call him again after school while Brian was studying (and luckily while his mother was out) and say to him, "Hey, Johnson. I've been thinking about what you said. About what's going to pay off for me in the long run. And I'm thinking about quitting wrestling. Don't tell anyone yet, though."

In Allison's case, she called Brian at least once a week to see how he was doing, to talk about astrology, which she actually liked, and to talk about Andrew.

"I admit, I was upset at first. I thought Andy was ashamed of me. But then I started to see it from his point of view. These are guys who would understand the type of relationship he has with his father. Better than we can. Even Bender can't totally understand that dynamic. And he really needs that scholarship to get into college. I don't think his dad could afford it on his own salary, and as far as I know, the last time he talked to his selfish piece of crap mother who abandoned him and his brothers to live her own life and left him with a verbally abusive father, was when she called to lecture him when he got detention for what he did to Larry Lester. So she's no help. And if he needs to do sports to get into college, then it's… for the best that he get along with his…teammates or whatever."

Brian listened to Allison through all this, confused, and then said, "Allison, what…what are you saying?"

Allison sighed and bit her nail. "I think it might be best for Andrew if I break up with him."

"Allison, no. The guy is absolutely nuts about you. I'm sure there's a better solution, if we just think about this—"

"—I've thought about it a lot already. I don't know if I can do it, but I don't think there's any other option that won't completely ruin his life. Please keep this between us for now."

And then there was Bender. Outside of their lunches together a few days a week, Bender had been phoning Brian every now and then and asking him weird questions. Questions about technical schools, and about classes he was thinking about taking next year, and things like that. After a few days, Brian finally got up the courage to ask, "If it's not too much to ask, what's bringing all this on?"

"Let's just say, dweebie, that it dawned on me that after high school I probably won't give two shits about how scary I am to people. And then what? I'd fucking off myself before I turn out to be anything like the bum my shit for brains dad is. Besides, I'm so fucking tired of being that stupid hellhole of a school's joke. I fucked things up with Claire, and last I heard she was trying to have one of her stupid richie friends set her up with one of those fucking pretty boy do-gooders. Even the girls I've had sex with don't take me seriously. And Vernon…Vernon is an asshole who's determined to make my life even more of a living hell than it already is."

One thing that got Brian far in life was the fact that he knew when to leave well enough alone. At least for the most part. He had an inkling that something very bad was going on between Vernon and Bender in those detentions, especially if he was mostly the only one there. But he knew he wouldn't get it out of Bender now, and that asking him about it would only make Bender shut down. Besides, he was so proud of his friend, for making his own decision to put more thought into his future. Knowing Bender, there was no telling how long this would last, but Brian was going to be there to keep this going as long as he could.

Claire was the easiest of all to deal with. Even with her hysterics. She called Brian the least of all lately since she was on such good terms now with her pre-detention friends, without Bender as a distraction. But when she did talk to Brian, she had with the funniest secret of all. Her calls to Brian were either to chitchat or gossip when one of her girlfriends weren't available and when Allison had had her fill of all the girly talk she could take.

So one night after a date it was Brian she contacted to check in with and give her post-date report.

"You'll never believe it," Claire said. "It was awful."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Claire. Was the guy aggressive again?" Brian said, sympathizing.

"No. He was great. Nice, funny, cute, and actually smart." Claire huffed.

"Oh," Brian said, thinking that Andy was right about girls being weird. "So, what's the problem?"

"Don't laugh, okay? And you have to promise not to tell anyone, Brian, okay? Especially not Bender."

"Um…o-okay." Brian said shyly.

"I mean it. I know you sometimes have lunch with Bender. This can never be repeated, or I'll just die." Claire said.

"I promise."

"Okay….Well, we were making out and all I could think about was how much of a better kisser Bender is. And then something really bad happened." Claire paused.

Brian silently waited for her to finish.

"I can't believe I'm telling you this. Okay… I accidentally called him the wrong name."

Brian smiled. "Wait…did you call him Bender? Because not only would that be extremely awkward, but from what I'm told about sex, it could have very negative interpretations and would be very uncomfortable if he thought it meant—"

"—Ew! Brian! No. I called him John. And almost the only time I've called Bender by his first name, besides when I met him, is when we were making out."

"Uh, wow. Was your date very upset?"

"He was more like hurt. Ugh. I couldn't even try to explain it away. I just got out of the car and walked home without even saying goodbye. Ugh. Brian! What am I going to do?!"

"Um, Claire? Does this mean you still have feelings for Bender?"

"No! I don't know. Okay, I guess. But it's not like it matters. There's nothing I can do about it. He's no longer interested in me, and it's because I blew it. He has no feelings about me, or me going out with someone else."

Brian wasn't sure that this was true. But he knew he couldn't say anything. That would mean revealing that he had already told Bender about some of his previous conversations with Claire.

Between being the Club's ping pong and confidant, and all his schoolwork and the Physics and Latin clubs, Brian would have found himself to be not only exhausted, but a bit sullen as well. But knowing that he had Saidie kept him not only happy, but excited about life.

Brian and Saidie had gone out a few more times. They'd even started talking on the phone a couple of nights a week, and sitting next to each other in English class.

On one of their dates, Brian had been kind of quiet, and winced a lot. He'd hoped that she wouldn't notice, but being that Saidie was so awesome and observant, she did.

They'd been sitting in a booth in a restaurant close to the school, and Saidie leaned over and said, "Brian? What's wrong? You're quiet, and you look almost in pain."

Brian sighed and tried to smile. "That's because I am. It's my back, and my arm."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"Well, I've had to carry all my stuff around everywhere all week. Dell has been out sick, and he and I were sharing lockers since mine is…well, since I'm locked out of mine. Dell didn't leave me the combination; he usually just met me at the locker to let me in. So I've had to carry all my things around every day."

"Oh. Well, you know, you can use mine. In fact, we can share lockers for the rest of the year. You don't even have to meet me; I'll just give you my combination."

"R-really? You'd do that? You'd trust me with it?"

Saidie just shrugged. "Sure, why not? I wouldn't like you if I didn't think I could trust you." She smiled at him in a way that would have melted Brian's heart, if he hadn't been overcome with guilt. Here Saidie was, trusting him completely, when he hadn't even trusted her enough to tell her about why he was in detention and why his locker was off limits. He just figured he'd tell her eventually, when he was comfortable enough to not think it would scare her away.

And then that great girl had scooted over to his side of the booth and given him a little massage to help his back, and he felt like he was the coolest guy ever in that moment, and never wanted it to end.

He felt even guiltier later, telling Claire about how cool Saidie was, especially when she said, "You know, Brian, I think maybe this means she's your girlfriend now."

Brian smiled at the idea of this. He had a girlfriend? Unbelievable.

And then he felt guilty again. It didn't feel right being so happy when two of his friends were miserable without each other, and the other two were thinking of sacrificing their happiness and futures.

On top of that, he wasn't sure if what Claire had said was right. He and Saidie hadn't even kissed yet. And there was only a week left in school. How was he to be sure where they stood? And what was going to happen with his friends?


	28. The First Goodbye

"_You're calling my name but I gotta make clear__  
__I can't say baby where I'll be in a year"_

_-Sweet Emotion, Aerosmith_

Allison would never have thought of herself as a particularly strong person, but the things she'd done at the end of the school year made her think maybe she'd underestimated herself.

She'd managed to avoid Andy every day at school. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about at all, because having to explain why she was doing it would have caused her to break. Whenever they went out, or when the Club went out together during the weekend, Allison made sure to be extra sweet and affectionate to Andy to make him think nothing was wrong.

What she didn't understand, because she'd never had a boyfriend before, was that she was confusing him more and more.

Not that he was complaining. Not seeing Allison around had actually made things easier for him. Nobody was acting strangely around him, conversations didn't stop anymore when he entered a room, and people were treating him normally again. At least for the time being.

Charlotte, Will and Dan all just figured they'd been wrong about Andrew. At least, that's what Charlotte liked to tell herself. Dan thought Andy must have been using the dork to do his homework, and Will's theory was that Andy had just been using the freak for sex and was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it. If they ever turned out to be wrong, they'd be the first to know.

Allison definitely noticed that since she'd started avoiding Andy at all costs in public, he had seemed a lot more relaxed. She could see the bags under his eyes fade a little, and he seemed almost cheerful sometimes. It actually made her happy. She figured he had enough to deal with, with his dad on his case.

And she was right. Andrew had enough with that, and with keeping an eye out for any more rumors about Claire. He'd been debating whether or not he should say anything to anyone, but he figured as long as it was just guy locker room gossip, it was harmless. As long as he didn't hear it around school. And he figured he couldn't tell Bender. There's no telling what _that _ticking time bomb would do, and Claire wouldn't want Bender getting into any trouble for her.

Claire had thrown herself into hanging with her girlfriends and doing the usual popular-girl end-of-the-year activities. She had fooled everyone into thinking she was happy. But there was one person she couldn't fool: Brian Johnson.

Bender couldn't fool Brian, either. Instead of their calm, simple yet deep, lunchtime conversations, Bender had gotten to be more aggressive, and grew angrier by the day. In Brian's eyes, he was back to being the scary Bender he'd been in detention. While he wasn't sure what he should do about Andy and Allison at the moment, it became clear to him that he had to do _something _about Claire and Bender.

So, one day, when Bender was in an unusually foul mood, Brian said, "So, Bender? About Claire, I don't know if you know this, but—"

"—Shut it, dweebie. I'm not interested in hearing about her and whatever prep she went to prom with."

"But, that's just it, Bender. She didn't go to prom."

"What are you talking about? I heard she was the only sophomore to get invited."

"She was. She just decided not to go. I was confused, too. I thought she was excited to be the only underclassmen girl to go. But she told me when she got asked, she changed her mind and said no, and spent the night at Allison's on prom night instead."

"Well, good for her," Bender said, wanting so badly to appear uninterested.

"I didn't understand it, either. Until she told me that she went out on a date soon afterwards and called the guy by the wrong name."

Bender laughed so hard he almost choked. "Oh, that is fucking awesome. That's rich. Let me guess. She called him Joe Perry? Or Dan Hogan." He laughed even harder, and Brian thought he might actually fall off the car.

"Nope," Brian said, turning red. "She called him John Bender."

And it was like someone had put Bender on pause. He completely froze. Brian did too, worried about what would come next.

But finally Bender relaxed and smirked in his trademark Bender way. "Well, there goes her pristine reputation." Was all he said.

On the last day of school, Claire had arranged for the whole group to get together for one last meal at Del Rossi's again. With Bender's encouragement, Brian had decided to invite Saidie, so that she could meet the rest of his friends.

Bender was the first one there, having left school early since he figured there was no point to being there that day, so he was the first one at the restaurant. He'd had something on his mind that he needed to process before he met up with the others.

Andy drove himself, and arrived there second. Allison had told him she wanted to ride with Claire.

Saidie's dad had picked Brian and Saidie up and was driving them there.

The rest of the gang was talking about them when they arrived. The other three couldn't wait to meet this girl who'd made such an impression on Brian.

They were all taken aback when they met her. She was different from what they expected. Not in a bad way; it just took some getting used to. Andy could get along with anyone, and when he saw how much Saidie had in common with Allison, he liked her immediately.

It was only Claire who acted awkward throughout the meal. And for once it wasn't just about being in the same room with Bender.

It wasn't that she had a problem with Saidie. She just had never really hung out with anyone who looked like her before. She wasn't sure how to act. She wondered how Brian could have left out that fact. And she certainly hadn't expected Brian's girl to be that friend of Bender's that she always saw him with. She wasn't sure what the nature of Bender's relationship with this girl was.

Luckily, everyone else was picking up Claire's slack in her share of the conversation. She spent most of the time staring at Saidie curiously, and trying to pretend she wasn't. Saidie made an effort to get to know Andy and Allison, and she even made an attempt to bring Claire into the conversation, but most of her attention was reserved for Bender and Brian.

Most of the conversation that afternoon was about the group's summer plans.

Claire was going with her whole family and a neighbor family to Paris for part of the summer. But she invited them all to her 4th of July party. She felt awkward doing it with Saidie there, partially because she didn't know her and partially because she wasn't sure if Saidie even celebrated that holiday (Claire realized she had a lot to learn about the world, and felt ashamed of herself). She figured she'd at least make an effort if this girl was important to Brian and Bender.

Allison was going down to Florida with Frank to visit her oldest brother. She promised she'd try to make it back for Claire's party if she could.

Andy would be in town half the summer and visiting his mother for the other half. His time in town would be taken up by trying to find a summer job.

Freddie had gotten his car in great running shape finally, and he and Bender were going to go on a small road trip with the little cash they had saved up over the year. Just traveling in search of adventure and causing some trouble.

And Brian was doing the same thing he did every summer; flying out with his sister to Indiana to visit his cousin Kendall. And then Kendall would come back with them to make his yearly visit to llinois at the end of the summer.

And Saidie was going to Atlanta for pretty much the whole summer. Brian knew he was going to miss her like crazy.

Brian and Saidie were the first to leave. Saidie had to get home and finish any last minute things, as she was leaving for Atlanta the next day.

Andy figured after their departure was the perfect time to make the announcement he'd been wanting to make.

"Guys, Allison-I've got some news." He took Allison's hand in his. And it was then that Allison knew that whatever it was, it had something to do with his future. And she couldn't let him say it, not when she had news of her own.

She had to blurt it out. "Andy, I need to talk to you. Alone. Now."

She practically dragged him away from the table, and outside.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Andy asked, panicking. This was weird, even for Allison.

"Andy, I'm sorry. I can't do this. I know this is a really shitty time and way to do this, but I think we should break up."

"What?! Allison, what-what's wrong? Where is this coming from? Did I do something? Or is it something I didn't do?"

Allison had that teary look in her eyes, and at Andy's words the tears came rushing out.

"I don't think we should date anymore. I don't want to hurt you. But I think this is best for both of us. We should just… go back to how we were during detention. I'm sorry."

She handed him a few bills for her meal. "I'll just take the city bus home. I hope that you can forgive me for this when we see each other again."

And she walked off before Andy could say anything else.

Inside Del Rossi's, Claire and Bender had been left alone. Claire was determined not to be the first one to speak, and Bender was determined not to say something obnoxious and sarcastic.

"So, will you miss me this summer, Cherry?" he asked. It took all he had to keep the sarcasm out of his voice and to look at her as sincerely as possible.

Claire must have realized this effort, because she blushed and tried to match his sincerity. "'Um, I guess so. Why? Why do you care?"

Bender just smirked at her. Claire thought to herself that she wished he wouldn't do that if he wasn't going to kiss her afterward.

"So," she said, deciding to tease him right back. "Will you think about me while you're on your road trip?"

Bender scooted over so they were on the same side of the booth. "Cherry, I'll be thinking about you every fucking day. And this." And with that he kissed her. But this was even better than any kiss she'd had with him before. It was more passionate and erotic than Claire had ever dreamed a kiss could be.

When he finally pulled away from her, he pulled his hair back so she could see that he was wearing her earring. Claire smiled.

And then Bender took her hand and put the chain he normally wore under his shirt, in it. "Do me a favor, Cherry. Don't you forget about me over the summer, okay?"

Claire was too busy screaming internally, and blushing on the outside, to speak. She simply smiled harder and nodded.

"You and me, Princess. When we both get back, it's gonna be you and me. You okay with that?"

Claire smiled at him and put the chain around her neck. "I was always okay with that. You were just too busy being stubborn and obnoxious to notice."

Bender smirked at her and kissed her again.

_**The End**_


End file.
